It's Just For Fun, Right?
by Shadou-sama
Summary: Slight AU. Just wanting to compete on a team, Shadra joins the Demolition Boys. Boris was looking for someone like her to experiment on. Will her friends realize just how deep she's gotten or will they ignore her for their own problems? COMPLETE
1. What Do You Mean It Isn't Senior Year?

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 1 - What Do You Mean It Isn't Senior Year? 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

Author's Note: Don't mind the chapter titles. This is my first story with them, so I kind of went wild. 

The sun beat down on the high school building as the teenagers of Hieville walked, wove, and loitered on their way there. Gossip, laughter, and voices rose from the school grounds. 

Unnoticed by the throng of teenagers, a figure watched them from a classroom window. He had little interest in them. He was looking for one girl in particular. He spotted her. Perfect. 

A black-haired girl and a lime-haired boy, both in the male uniform consisting of black pants and dark crimson zip up jackets with the school crest, walked up the cement walkway. 

"Senior year, finally," Shadra sighed. 

"That's next year, Chaton," Oliver reminded her. 

She nearly fell down. "Next year? You mean we have to endear this torture for two more years?" 

"Yep," he said brightly. 

Enrique, a blonde and handsome boy, stood a few meters away, talking with a blonde senior girl. 

"Friday night, my house? Could get interesting." He wagged his eyebrows. 

"Not a chance, loser," she said before strutting off to rejoin her cheerleader friends. 

"That was harsh, dude," Rei said as he and his pink-haired girlfriend Mariah (wearing the girl's uniform which had a black plaited skirt and a vest instead of pants and a jacket) joined him. Rei slid his arm around her waist. "Not to good with the finer sex, eh." 

"Charity work, Rei. Otherwise, I wouldn't think twice about going out with her." 

"Is that so?" Mariah asked, disbelieving. They went to catch up with Shadra and Oliver. "'Cause she's blonde, a senior, a cheerleader, and has big curves." 

"That's the thing, they're too big," Enrique explained. Mariah sighed in disbelief. 

"Hey guys! Enrique struck out again!" Rei called up to the two ahead. 

Shadra and Oliver stopped, waiting for them to catch up. When they did, she replied, "Tell me something new, not ancient history." 

"I get plenty of dates, Chaton," Enrique growled. 

Shadra gasped. "You told!" she exclaimed, spinning to face the lime haired boy. 

Oliver put his hands up in defense. "I did not." 

"We knew at final exams," Mariah said. 

Shadra growled. She had only allowed Oliver to call her kitten, if he'd keep it secret and said it in French. No one but Oliver knew the language, since no one else paid attention in class. 

"I bet everyone's tired of calling you that by now," Rei assured her. 

"What?" she exclaimed. "Everyone knows?" 

"And about your little crush on Kai," Enrique added. 

"What?" she exclaimed even louder, her limbs shaking. She calmed herself down before continuing. "So not only does Kai hate me, but everyone else knows as well? And they know about Oli's nickname? This is the worst senior year ever." 

"It's not senior year," Oliver said, exasperated. 

"Which class do you guys have?" Rei asked, obviously changing the subject. 

Shadra pulled a crumpled schedule out of her pocket while Oliver promptly answered, "2B." 

"Same as us," Mariah said happily. 

"Me too," Enrique said. 

Shadra smoothed out the sheet to read it. "And me makes… uh… five." 

At Hieville Collegiate, each grade was divided into classes. Their grade consisted of two. It wasn't like smart, normal, stupid, but a random compatibility of schedules. You'd better pray that you got your friends, or at least people you tolerate, or you'd be miserable for five hours a day for the whole school year. 

They had reached the front door, so now they turned to walk to their classroom. 

"Hey," Mariah said suddenly. "Did you make your points, Shadra?" 

"Two losers in Capital City," she replied, holding up a handheld battle analyzer. 

Every beyblader that wanted to blade in the inter-school tournaments had to buy one. They also had to win four points before the start of the season. Everyone started out with two points, to win more you had to win beybattles with other beybladers with battle analyzers. But if the point count ever reached zero, you're out of the running. 

While her mother was in recovery, Shadra had dropped by the various Beyblade Centers in town to challenge those beybladers coming and going from the training camps going on. Even if they hadn't had a battle analyzer, she still challenged them because beybattles fun, whether she lost, won or gained points. Which spoke a lot for her record. 

"And you guys?" Shadra asked. 

"Do you really have to ask us that obvious question?" Enrique asked. 

"We did," Mariah said, shooting a small glare at the boy. 

"The teams, have they been decided?" Shadra asked, a bit more anxious. 

Teams could only have four registered beybladers, plus they had to have a teacher supervisor. Only a few teachers felt it was worth it to organize a team. Last year, Hieville had only five teams (but still better than most schools). The school had twenty some bladers with bit-beasts, Shadra not being one of them. If she didn't get a spot quick, she wouldn't be able to beyblade. 

"Almost," Oliver said. 

"A lot of wheeling and dealing went on during the summer," Enrique explained. 

Shadra cursed under her breath. But only half-heartedly. Her mother would have died without the operation to remove the tumor in her brain. It was unfortunate, but at least her mother was okay. 

"I would've invited you onto my team, but well, Kai's on it," Rei said. 

"Thanks for being considerate," Shadra said sincerely. Being on the same team as Kai… that wouldn't bold well. For her at least. 

"And my team's full," Mariah said. 

"Wait, you two can actually separate long enough to compete on other teams?" Shadra asked. 

"Yes," Mariah said. "Besides, he wanted to be on Tyson's team, and I wanted to be on Lee's. So we were. Problem solved." 

"Robert and Johnny asked me," Enrique said. 

"Me too," Oliver added. 

"So you're all on teams?" 

They nodded. 

"Oh, damn, this is going to be harder than I thought," she muttered. 

They walked into their classroom. According to their schedules, they had Math first. Shadra despised it, never being able to work through the formulas or even remember them, while Enrique secretly enjoyed it. Mathematics came naturally to him. 

The group walked past a scrawny glasses-wearing kid sitting at the desk in the front row. Kenny was bent over a calculation, working it out to its foiled form. A redhead girl entered the classroom and immediately walked up to Kenny. 

"How was you summer, Kenny?" Emily asked. 

He looked up, while trying not to blush. Emily was talking to him! "F-fine. And yours?" 

"It was okay. I hear we have a new math teacher." 

"What?" Kenny dug out his schedule. "I was sure that we had—" 

"She moved or something," Emily said. "I didn't get the exact details, but I know the new teacher's a guy." 

"Mrs. Burkham moved?" a black haired boy asked as he joined the two. Kenny frowned on the inside. "There goes my easy pass," Tyson groaned. It was known throughout the student population that she was like an Art teacher. As long as they tried, or appeared to be trying, they'd get a great mark. 

"You might have to actually study this year," Tyson's blonde companion teased. 

"I know, but you didn't have to say such horrible news, Max." The blonde just smiled. 

Behind them, Zeo, Mariam, Hillary, and Salima were talking. 

"Mr. Doral appointed me team captain," Mariam said. 

"Really?" Zeo said rather than asked. "You know, we should be on a team together." 

"There's four of us," Salima said. 

"It could work," Mariam commented. 

"It will work," Zeo said enthusiastically. 

"Woah, woah, woah, I don't beyblade," Hillary said. "I just cheer." 

"But then we won't have enough," Salima said. 

"What about that other girl, uh, Sashei?" Hillary asked. 

They all looked to the front corner, where a shy purple haired girl sat. 

"Does she even blade?" Mariam asked. 

"Yeah, and she has enough points I've seen her battle analyzer. And bonus, she has a bit-beast," Hillary said. 

"Go ask her," Salima nudged Mariam. Mariam obliged, and walked past Robert and Johnny who had called Enrique and Oliver over for a little team meeting. 

"You have Mr. Liam's permission?" Enrique asked. 

Robert nodded. 

"This afternoon, our team list goes up on the board," Johnny said. 

"Cool," the blonde said. 

Mariah and Rei had met up with Mariah's new team. They, plus Kevin and Gary (sort of, because he was digging in his lunch bag) were awaiting Lee's answer to where he'd been all summer. 

"China," Lee said, and opened his fist to reveal a lotus flower and held it up for Mariah to take. She did, blushing a bit. Rei growled softly, but luckily, no one noticed. 

Before Rei and Mariah had gotten together, she had been going out with Lee. Sometimes Rei had his suspicions about him, because a lot of his actions towards Mariah seemed flirtatious and romantic. Lee had better hope he wasn't trying to win her back, or he might have a broken neck courtesy of Rei. 

Michael, Steve and Eddy sat somewhere near the back, discussing sports. They already knew that they, along with Emily, would make their team with Ms. Tate as their teacher supervisor. Just like they did every year. 

Shadra took her seat at the back, her favorite place in any classroom. Sure, if you were up front you could make it to the door faster, but at the back, the teacher couldn't see any suspicious actions. 

She glanced over and noticed that Kai was sitting at the back as well (his favorite place also, it seemed). He looked like he was deep in thought. She could just watch him like that all day. He turned his head towards her, and she hurriedly looked to the front of the classroom, hoping he hadn't noticed she was blushing. 

As timing would have it, the bell rang. Everybody who wasn't already in their seats ran to grab a desk and the teacher, accompanied by three boys (a redhead, a lavenderhead, and a blonde) walked in. 

The teacher, a tall man with purple hair, strange red tinted glasses and a completely black suit, stopped in front of his desk. The three boys stood straight with their backs to the chalkboard. They reminded her, and many other students, of boot camp soldiers. 

"I am Mr. Boris, your new math teacher. And when I enter this room, I want you all to stand until I tell you otherwise." 

The students threw glances at their peers. This was… eccentric. 

"Have I told you otherwise?" 

A few of the quicker thinking teens jumped up, and silently urged their slower friends to rise as well. It took a few minutes, but the students had risen. Except for the rebel Kai. But Mr. Boris took no notice of that. 

"These three," he gestured to the army-likes, "Are your new peers. Tala Ivanov," the redhead, "Bryan Serkowsky," the lavender-haired, "and Spencer Fero" the big blonde. "Take your seats, boys." 

The rest of the lesson went smoothly, except that anyone talking out of turn was threatened with severe detention and those answering a question were to stand. Also, they had to call him sir. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity for all of them, except the new guys, the bell rang. 

"Bellona, I would like to speak to you privately," Boris said before Shadra could make it out of the room. The others filed out, some giving sympathetic glances with Mariah mouthing 'We'll wait for you', leaving the two alone. He shut the door behind him. 

"I've looked in your file from your last math course," he began. "Barely managed to pass last year." 

She kept quiet. There was no reason to talk. He knew she was horrible at the subject. It didn't matter. He would've found out soon enough anyway. 

"Beybladers on my team seem to get better marks, while others who refuse coincidentally fail." 

It took a few moments for the information to sink in. "So you're asking, sir…" 

"That you be on my new team, the Demolition Boys." 

A sixth team at the school? This could be her chance to compete, but— 

"I'm not a boy," she said, referring to the team name. Then with a second's thought, she added, "Sir." 

"Yet you wear their uniform," he pointed out. 

"I just hate skirts," she blurted out before she could stop herself. She mentally kicked herself. She didn't want detention on the first day, which this teacher so readily handed out. "Sir," she added, for good measure. 

"That doesn't matter. What matters is your mark. Say yes and everything will be a lot easier. Say no and…" 

"But why do you want me, sir?" Shadra asked. It seemed a little weird. Why not ask Kai or Robert or Michael or Tyson? They were all better bladers than she was and they had bit-beasts. 

"You have potential for greatness, you just need the right team. And the Demolition Boys is the right team. In a mere month, you'll be tenfold the Blader you used to be. So what do you say?" 

After the whole conversation, she couldn't help but say yes. Otherwise, everything would be a whole lot worse. No math grade, no beyblading. This was better. But she couldn't help thinking that he was bullying her into it. 

"Good, practice starts tonight, eight o'clock." He wrote down the address and handed it to her. She automatically folded it and put it in her pocket. "And don't mention this to anyone," he warned. 

Outside in the hall, Enrique, Oliver, Kai, and the two lovebirds were walking slowly to their next class waiting for Shadra to catch up. Why Kai was there, none of them knew. 

"Poor Chaton, being called to stay by that teacher," Oliver said. 

"It's probably nothing big," Rei assured them. "Maybe he just wanted to set her straight at the beginning of the year, instead of at the end when she's already failing." 

"I wouldn't count on it," Kai said, surprising them. It always seemed to be a surprise when he spoke. 

"Why, Kai?" Rei asked. 

He shrugged. "I don't trust him." 

Shadra came running up to them. "Thanks for waiting guys," she said, a little out of breath. 

"Hey, we did walk as slow as we could," Enrique said. 

"So what did he want to speak to you about?" Mariah asked. 

She paused for a second, searching for a plausible excuse. "My lousy math grades," she said. That was definitely plausible enough. 

"I told you," Rei said, looking at the others. 

"Are you okay?" Kai asked, startling her. Kai Hiwatari was asking her how she was? Unbelievable. 

"Uh yeah, just a little shook up. He was… um, forceful." 

"He didn't…?" Rei asked. 

"No, no," she said, shaking her head. "Just very, uh, strict and, uh, threatening about it. I'm fine." 

They took her word on it, and continued onto the physics classroom where Ms. Judy Tate would instruct them. They talked about what they expected and how much babying she would give her only son, Max. 

They didn't notice how quiet Shadra had gotten. She was too busying thinking about Boris and the Demolition Boys. 

_To be continued..._


	2. How Dare She Keep Secrets

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 2 - How Dare She Keep Secrets 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

"Guys!" Zeo called out to the class as they were leaving from their last class. He had left early, earning the right with his charismatic charm from the teacher, to check out the boards. "Team lists are up!" 

This got everybody excited. They'd finally be allowed official team practices in the gym. 

"I gotta go," Shadra said. "Check on my mom and all." 

"You didn't get on a team, did you?" Mariah stated rather than asked. 

Shadra shrugged. They'd find out soon enough. She headed to her locker. 

The rest raced (or walked, depending on their personality) along side students from other classes to the message board near the gym. Now was the perfect chance to see who'd they be competing against, at least from this school. 

"Kai and Tyson on the same team? No way!" 

"Better get practicing if you want to beat Mariah and Lee at the tag-team competitions." 

"Who's Sashei?" 

"That quiet girl, you know, the one who never talks." 

"Oh, that girl." 

"Hey, there's a new team," someone pointed out. 

Almost everyone turned to look at the sixth poster at the edge of the board. 

"Demolition Boys?" 

"So the new boys formed their own team." 

"With Shadra, looks like." 

"Guess they've never seen her blade." 

Laughter. 

"What?" Mariah exclaimed. She looked at the poster again. "She got on a team and didn't tell us? That little—" 

"Something isn't right," Kai said. 

"What isn't?" Rei asked him. 

"The teacher supervisor." 

Rei glanced at the two-toned hair boy, then looked back to the list. "Teacher Advisor: Mr. B. Boris," he read. 

"Hey, yeah. If he freaked her that much, how come she's on his team?" Enrique asked. 

Kai shrugged. "I just know something isn't right." 

"I'll call her, ask her about it," Oliver volunteered. 

"Great," Rei said.

* * *

At home, Shadra closed the front door behind her. "Mom?" she called out. No reply. She dropped her backpack by the small table and ran up the stairs. The doctor said that complications could occur, and her mother not answering could indicate that something was wrong. 

She turned a left in the upstairs hallway and opened the Master bedroom door. She shrieked, jumped back, and closed the door to the room. She was still shaking when her mother wearing a robe opened the door again. 

"You were—you were…" Shadra paused. "Naked." 

"Oh come on, dear, I'm not that bad looking." 

"I saw my own mother…" She paused again. "Naked." 

"I just got a little tired of wearing this old robe. I wanted to change into some actual clothes." 

"Naked, my own mother." 

Her mother frowned. "If you're just going to babble, at least let me sit down. I'm kind of tired." 

"Traumatized," Shadra said before entering the bedroom. 

"At least it wasn't me and your stepfather—" 

"Don't even say it." 

"So how was your first day at school?" she asked, lying back on her bed. 

"It was okay, except that my popularity went down a whole lot." 

"About that Kai thing? Ah, it'll blow over. It's not the end of the world." 

Shadra sniffed. "Guess you're right. After all, it is my senior year." 

"No it isn't." 

"I know, but could you at least let me pretend it is?" 

"Sure, dear. Did you make a team?" 

"Yeah…" 

"Let me guess: the Majestics? Their record is impeccable. And Oliver wanted to be on that one." 

"Uh, no…" 

"The White Tigers? You said that you had wanted to try some more tag-team." 

"No…" 

"The NT Team? Those three kids, they don't act like great beybladers, but they are." 

"Nuh-uh." 

"The All-Starz? Didn't think you were sporty enough for that team, but—" 

"No." 

"The Bladebreakers? But wait, isn't Kai captaining that one?" 

"No, well, he is captaining, but that's not the team." 

"Then… There's only five…" 

"Demolition Boys. It's a team that the new math teacher set up." 

"But you're not a boy. I mean, you wear the boy's uniform 'cause you have that phobia about skirts." 

"That's what I said. Except not the phobia part. But Mr. Boris said it didn't matter. What mattered was that I had great potential." 

"Well, that's great, honey," her mother said with great enthusiasm. When's your first practice?" 

"Tonight, eight o'clock. I'm sure Carly won't mind breaking off her big date to stay with you." 

"You're getting too much pleasure out of this, girl." 

"Yeah, well, stepsisters fight and all. But it only works if Dick is working. He is, right? I thought he said something about that." 

"Yes, he is," her mother sighed. "And I wish you wouldn't call your stepfather that." 

"He told me to. Can't argue with my stepfather, now can I?" 

Her mother just sighed.

* * *

Enrique had barely gotten in through the door when loud, shrieking voices reached him. 

"You forgot the milk! Now what am I going to eat my cereal with? All you ever think of is yourself!" 

"You never told me to get milk! You never tell me anything! You just like to yell at me!" 

Enrique sighed. His parents were at it again. He didn't bother to say hello before running upstairs to his room. Like they would notice anyway. He flipped on his music to cover up the voices, dumped his backpack near his desk, and jumped onto his bed. 

When his parent's voices shouted over the music, he turned on his Playstation 2 and his plasma screen. Maybe this fight he could reach level 7. That stupid bird just kept getting in his way.

* * *

The phone rang in Shadra's house. "Don't get up!" she called up to her mother from the living room. She dashed to the kitchen and picked up the receiver. 

"Hello?" 

"Bonjour, Chaton!" She could hear the busy French restaurant behind him. The DuBois' owned the classiest restaurant in all of Hieville. Not that that was saying much, as it was the only formal in town. 

"Oh hey, Oliver. What's up?" 

"You got onto a team." 

"Uh, yeah. I kind of know that already." 

"Is that why Mr. Boris kept you after class?" 

"Yeah," she said. Then she realized what the point of this was. "I would've told you guys, honest I would, but he told me to keep it quiet." 

"And fifteen years of friendship is worth less than that?" 

"No. I'll make it up to you. All of you. I'll cook—" 

"No!" Oliver said quickly. "I got food poisoning the last time you cooked." 

"Fine, whatever. And my cooking isn't that bad. How about I treat you guys to a movie?" 

"That would be acceptable." 

"So, Friday night then?" 

"All right."

* * *

Kai arrived home to his huge mansion by the lake. He lived alone, well; it seemed like he lived alone. His grandfather was never there, always away on some business trip. Kai didn't mind at all. 

He still couldn't believe how the little dweebs Tyson and Max had talked him into captaining their team. Stupid High School Beyblade Association. Why did they have to cancel the individual competitions? Oh, right, they wanted to encourage teamwork. 

But he admitted that it could be worse. Tyson was a good enough beyblader, though his style was erratic. Max had impressive defense skills and Rei was very—No, don't think like that! Rei and cute do not go together. Any man and cute do not go together. But if Rei and Mariah weren't so obviously in love—Stop it mind, stop it! 

He thought of Mr. Boris, trying to keep his mind off the taboo boy. Somehow, he felt that he'd met the teacher before. But he couldn't remember where. The only thing he knew was that Boris was bad news and now Shadra was mixed up with him. She was a nice girl and one of the few he could actually tolerate. Abysmal beyblader, but what can anyone expect from someone who takes the sport so lightly? And she's always hanging around with Rei— 

"Argh!" He grabbed his Dranzer and launcher and stormed off to his outside beydish. Maybe a bit of training would keep his mind in check.

* * *

Eight o'clock found Shadra holding her gear bag standing outside a huge Victorian style house. The sun had almost set by now. "Mom was right," she muttered. "Eight o'clock is way too late for a beyblade practice." 

Too late now. She knocked on the door. 

Immediately, Mr. Boris opened the door. Instead of the suit, he wore a thigh length jacket (lined with gold color) and cape combo. Instead of the red-tinted glasses, he wore red-tinted goggles. He certainly cast an opposing figure. 

"You're late," he said. 

"No… I was supposed to be here at—" 

"You always come early so that you are ready to go at the specified time," he snapped. 

"Alright, alright, sorry," she muttered. 

"Come in then," he said, moving away from the door to allow her. She did. 

"You'll find that discipline is in high order here," Boris said as they walked down the foyer. "That includes punctuality." 

"Yes, sir." 

"This team is sponsored by Biovolt, a corporation that studies beyblading to find ways to improve both beybladers and their blades. Which means that the Demolition Boys are always two steps ahead of our competition. 

"All that Biovolt requires of us is to win. Think you can handle that?" 

"Uh, yes sir. If--I mean when I train really hard." 

"Good. Our first tournament is in two weeks." 

Two weeks? Was he crazy? Only the teams that have been together more than a year enter the early competitions. And Shadra still had to learn discipline and stuff. Oh yeah, and she had to meet her teammates. 

"Practices are everyday from 6:00 until 7:45am, and 3:45 until 9:00pm weekdays. 8:00am until 7:00pm on the weekends. Attendance is mandatory." 

Oh man, she had to check in with her mom after school, make sure she wasn't dead or anything. Maybe she could swap with Carly, who had complained about having to give up her lunch hours gossiping when Shadra had drawn the after school shift. And homework could be done at noon, or after practice. And who needs to go shopping, or to movies, or to sport games with her friends? 

"You'll be exempt from homework, and your test scores will be altered so you have no need to study." 

Huh? 

"By becoming part of this team, you have been enrolled in a program for gifted children. It is still required that you attend classes, but anything that is to be done outside of school is not required." 

"Even tests?" Shadra asked. "Uh, sir!" 

"Yes. Now are you ready to meet your teammates?" 

She nodded. Maybe the good will outweigh the bad. Sure, she wouldn't have a lot of time for socializing, but no homework, no tests, and hopefully this would drastically improve her beyblading skills. 

Boris pressed a button to the side of a mirror. Immediately, two green rays slid from their eyebrows to their noses. Shadra could watch it in the glass. 

"Access confirmed. Welcome Mr. Boris, new addition Miss Shadra Bellona," a female voice said, where from she couldn't tell. But it sounded automated. 

The mirror slid open to reveal a completely white cube of a room. Boris stepped inside, so Shadra did as well. The mirror, which was really a secret door, closed again. The whole room shuddered, then went down. An elevator! It's exactly like in one of those science fiction/military movies. 

The automated voice asked for a voice recognition, which Boris did at a mutter. Finally, they came to a stop. 

"This is our training facility," Boris said as the door opened and exited. "It was specially built to allow maximum security. We wouldn't want any spies, now would we?" They were standing in a cement hallway, with huge windows against the wall. Looking out of them, you could see a room tall enough to be two-story with regulation sized beydishes in them. Three boys were working individually against what looked like beyblade spewing robots. 

"That's those new kids, sir," she said. "Umm, Talon… Talo…" 

"Nice to see you've been paying attention in class. Since they are now your teammates, I expect you to learn their names well. Tala Ivanov, team captain, Bryan Serkowsky and Spencer Fero. They came all the way from Russia to participate on this team." 

"Now that's dedication," she breathed. They looked like fantastic beybladers, might even be able to compete against Kai. 

"You will be joining them tomorrow. Dr. Kinseki is going to give you a check-up. He's the world's leading physician specializing in beybladers." 

Boris really knew how to pamper his bladers. She followed him as he swept pass the window. A sliding door (how sci-fi is that, she wondered) at the end of the hall allowed them into a medical examination room. She walked in, then immediately felt a pinch on her neck. She had no time to process that before she fell into darkness.

* * *

Oliver walked into his room, taking off the apron to set it on a chair. What a time for one of their chefs to get sick! It seemed like everyone in Hieville wanted gourmet cooking. He had barely squeezed in time to call Shadra. He sat down at his desk, hoping to get that math assignment down. 

His hopes were dashed as his private phone rang. 

"Hello?" he asked, after picking up the receiver. 

"Oliver." The lime haired beyblader immediately recognized the voice. 

"Enrique." 

"Did you call her?" 

"Yeah. She's treating us to a move Friday." 

"Sweet." 

"She seemed perfectly fine then. Said that Mr. Boris asked her not to tell anyone." 

"That's good." Oliver heard a few shrieking voices in the background, a crash, and a big sigh. 

"Hey, is everything okay?" Oliver asked. 

"As normal as ever." 

"Okay then, see you tomorrow." 

"Bye." 

They both hung up.

* * *

Shadra woke up. She started, not recognizing the dark place. It came back to her in a rush. She was in the Demolition Boys' training facility, the medical examination room and the lights were turned off. She must have dozed off. 

She got up off the table, and checked her watch. Then she realized she had lost her one and only watch six years ago. But she guessed that it was late. She glanced around the room and located her gear bag. 

She hurried out the automatic sliding door, up the elevator and out onto the street. It was completely deserted. She started jogging, then running. Her mother and Dick were probably worried sick about her. Or, hopefully, they hadn't noticed that she was missing. 

_To be continued..._


	3. Rebonsiple and Dickaplined

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 3 - Rebonsiple and Dickaplined 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

Shadra hit the snooze button a half second after it went off. Through one eye, she checked the clock. 5:00? Wha—Oh, right, team practice. She sleepily got up. 

After getting groomed, she walked downstairs into the kitchen, where Dick, her stepfather, was already making coffee. 

"Why are you up so early?" he asked. "Usually you try to sleep in until the last possible moment." 

"Got practi' this morn-ing," she said, still more than a little sleepy. 

"Didn't you have practice last night?" The coffeemaker stopped, Dick poured himself a cup, which Shadra promptly stole. He grunted, then poured himself another cup. 

"Yeah," she said, taking a swig. "But we have practice every morning and after school. Oh, and before I forget, tell Carly that I'll check in on Mom at lunch." 

"Will do, but don't you think it's a bit too much? You got in awfully late last night." 

"It'll end sooner from now on. I'll be back before ten, at the latest." 

"And homework?" 

Shadra popped a couple pieces of bread into the toaster. She hesitated, but Dick didn't seem to notice. "Will get down before the due date." 

"And your grades?" 

"Will stay above failing." 

"And math?" 

"The teacher supervisor is my math teacher." 

"And math?" 

"I'll work hard, get a good grade." The toast popped up, and she spread some condiments on them. 

"If any of your grades stop dropping, you're cutting back practice. School comes first." He took a drink of his coffee. 

"Yes, sir!" 

Dick nearly spewed his drink.

* * *

Kai sat up bolt in his bed. That dream… That dream that he should find extremely disgusting, but found it kind of… erotic. He shook his head. What was going on with him? Rei… Dammit! Why couldn't he keep his mind off the guy? It should be simple enough, yet it was harder than winning the Championship last year. 

That training helped a little last night… He got out of bed, got dressed, and grabbed his Dranzer off the counter and headed outside.

* * *

Shadra headed down on the elevator, this time being able to pass the eye scan and verbal recognition herself. The door slid open, and she stepped out. This time, the three boys, uh, Tala Ivanov… Bryan Serkowsky and Spencer Fero. Yay, she remembered them. They weren't seen from the large windows. 

She turned right this time to take the door at the far end, which she had noted was the locker room for both the men and the women. There was even a sign on the door that stated those facts. She just hoped the men weren't getting a little… uh, personal. 

The door slid open. The boys didn't even turn their heads, but she was sure that the three had glanced at her out of the corner of their eyes. Then she noticed that none of them had any shirts on. Thankfully, they had changed into their sweat pants already. She blushed a little, seeing as how these were three extremely well built guys. Very muscular. She realized she was just standing at the door and staring at them, which made her blush even more. 

She hurried to the fourth locker with her name on it. She hadn't noticed how extraordinarily handsome they were. Spencer was a bit big for her tastes, but still… Practice might be a bit harder, and a bit more embarrassing than she had realized.

* * *

The Demolition Boys were finally training in the beydishes. They had spent an hour weightlifting, half and hour running the track beneath the beydishes, so they only had fifteen minutes to beyblade. Shadra was almost thankful for the two practices a day or they'd probably never be able to blade much. 

She was currently facing off against the robot, which had shot three beyblades to challenge her. Her red and white bit-beastless blade circled, dodged, and attacked against the solid gray ones. That robot was certainly giving her a challenge. 

"She can't even hit one," Bryan sneered. 

"And her technique is loose at best," Tala said. 

"Why did Boris ever choose her?" 

"Because he saw 'potential'." 

"If she has potential, than I'm the greatest in the entire universe." 

Shadra ground her teeth and growled softly. All those guys ever did was criticize her! Well, except for Spencer, but he hadn't said anything the whole entire practice. But she did, however, notice he was giving her disapproving looks, and giving the other two agreeing looks. 

"Attack!" Her red and white beyblade smashed into one gray blade, then another. It knocked the two out of the dish. She looked triumphantly back at them. 

Tala just smirked. "Her skill is ruled by her emotions. She'll never get far." 

Shadra just wanted to scream.

* * *

"Hey Kai!" 

Said beyblader froze as his name was called, then thawed to continue on his way up to the school building. He really hoped nobody noticed. 

"Hey, wait up will you?" Rei called as he ran to catch up. Kai obliged. "When's our first practice?" 

"After school," Kai grunted. 

"Which room did you book? 'Cause Lee booked the weight room and Robert has the bey-gym." 

"The outdoor dishes." 

"Cool. I just hope I can keep up with you. I bet you're twice as strong as you were last year." 

Kai turned his head away, hiding his blush. "Where's Mariah?" he asked. 

"You know, we can actually be in two different places at once, you know," Rei said angrily. "I don't always know where she is, either!" 

"Girl's bathroom?" 

"Yeah…" 

Oliver walked up to them. Kai mentally let out a huge inner sigh of relief. It was easier not to think of Rei that way when other people were around. "Have you seen Shadra?" the lime-haired beyblader asked. 

They both shook their heads no. 

"Why?" Rei asked. They started walking to the front door. 

"We always meet up by the Dairy Queen on the way to school. I waited, but she didn't come by. I hope she's not sick or anything." 

"Did you call her?" Rei asked. 

Oliver nodded. "And she promised to make it up to us." 

"She's not cooking, is she?" 

"No, treating us to a movie Friday night. You too, Kai," Oliver added, even though Kai never really hung out with them. But he had been the one who brought to their attention the suspiciousness of the matter. 

"No," Kai said, half-heartedly mentally cringing at the thought of spending more time with Rei. That certainly would get his thought process going… 

"Oh, come on. You have to go," Rei pleaded. 

He just looked so cute then… Kai sighed. "Alright." 

"Great!" 

Why couldn't his one weakness at least be a girl?

* * *

Carly, the strawberry-blonde head cheerleader and Shadra's stepsister, spotted Enrique talking to a few of his friends. She recognized Johnny, Michael and Robert, but the tiny green-haired kid she didn't. They didn't matter, she was a senior and they weren't. She smoothed out her uniform skirt before walking up to them. 

"Hey, Enrique," she said. 

"Hi Carly," he replied. The other boys rolled their eyes. 

"Whatcha' doing Friday night?" 

"Movies with friends," he said. She gave him a look. He kind of jolted, finally figuring out her point. "Wanna come?" 

"I guess."

* * *

Shadra sat at a desk behind Bryan in Mr. Boris' classroom. A few kids had filtered in, like Kenny and Emily, the big brains. The Demolition Boys had gotten to class early, since Boris had driven them. And this teacher is never ever late. 

Oliver, Kai and Rei walked into the room, instantly locating her. They took seats around her. 

"Where were this morning?" Oliver asked. 

"Morning practice." 

Rei choked. "Morning practice? And you didn't skip it?" 

Kai gave her a strange look, which was mirrored by Oliver. 

"No," she said. "And quit looking at me like that." 

"And why are you sitting behind those new kids? Why aren't you sitting at the back?" Rei asked. 

"I don't know. I just did." 

"And why are you sitting up so straight?" Rei asked, his voice getting panicky. He jumped up and felt her forehead. "Are you sick? Did they do horrible things to you? Why? Why? Why?" 

Shadra gave him an odd look, as did everyone else in the classroom, and removed his hand from her forehead. "Calm down, guy. It's not the end of the world. And breathe, you're hyperventilating." 

"You're just scaring me, is all," Rei said, a bit sulky, as he sat back down. Kai looked away, blushing a subtle pink. Damn, did Rei ever look fine. 

"All of us," Oliver agreed. 

"Next you'll be telling us that you did your homework," Rei said. 

"I did do my homework," Shadra lied. Boris had handed her a sheet on the way to school, as he did to the other Demolition Boys. 

The three boys started. 

"What did you do to her?" Oliver asked the Russian boys. 

"Yeah, she's all responsible and stuff," Rei added. 

"That isn't normal," Kai said. 

Tala closed his eyes and smirked. "Maybe you just underestimate your 'friend' there." 

"Hey, yeah! Why can't I be rebonsiple and dickaplined?" Shadra asked. 

"'Cause you can't be it if you can't pronounce it, Chaton," Rei said. 

Bryan smirked at the hearing of her nickname. Even though Shadra couldn't see it, she knew he was too. Shadra scowled. "Mind your own business, Kon." 

_To be continued..._


	4. He's Only A Little Creepy

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 4 - He's Only A Little Creepy 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

"Alright, alright, sorry. It's just strange is all," Rei hastily apologized, holding his hands up in defense. He didn't want anything hostile to happen. 

Shadra just gave a short "Hn," before turning to face the blackboard. 

Rei sighed, but was quickly distracted by his girlfriend yelling, "No way!" from just outside the door. A half-second later, Mariah and Enrique, along with Michael, Kevin, Johnny and Robert, walked in. 

"Carly Stephens asked you out?" Mariah said, and from her tone, her audience knew she didn't believe it, not even for one iota of a second. 

"Yep. She's coming to the movies with us on Friday," Enrique said, obviously trying to sound smooth as he ran a hand through his hair. 

"I still don't believe you," Mariah said. 

"It's true. She just walked right up to him and got him to ask her out," Johnny said. "Though it took the sap a few tries to figure it out." 

"Now that sounds plausible," Mariah said. 

The group split to find their seats. Mariah and Enrique came over to their usual group. 

"Hey, Shadra. You'll be paying for one more on Friday," he said as he jumped over the seat of a chair to sit in it. Mariah opted for Rei's more comfortable lap. Kai resisted the urge to pull her off. Shadra, with her eyes closed and arms crossed, ignored them. 

"Hel-lo, Sha-dra," Enrique said, leaning over to wave a hand in her face. She moved nary a muscle. 

"What's with her?" Mariah asked, looking at Rei. 

He sighed. "She's mad at us because we didn't think she could be rebonsiple and dickaplined." 

"Huh? Don't you mean—" 

"Her words, not mine." 

"She was acting strange," Oliver said. "Morning practice, sitting up straight, doing her homework…" 

"Yikes! That's definitely not our girl," Enrique said. "But is she still treating us to a movie Friday night, right?" 

"She can't," Tala said. 

"She has more important things to do than to hang with losers like you," Bryan added, smirking. 

They all thought one thought, that they really didn't like these new boys. 

Enrique jumped up, grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her yelling, "You can't back out of this now! Not when I have a date with your ultra-gorgeous stepsister!" 

Shadra didn't respond, didn't even twitch a muscle. And now everyone in the classroom was looking at them. 

"Wow, she's got the ignoring us deal down pat," Mariah commented. Enrique stopped shaking Shadra. She let out a snore. 

They all sweat-dropped, even the Russian boys. She had fallen asleep. Enrique slowly set her back into her seat. She flopped forward unto the desktop, using her binder as a pillow. 

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she stood up at the same moment as the Russian boys, as Mr. Boris entered the room. They were the first one's to their feet. 

And the weird just keeps on coming, Rei thought. He stood up as well after making sure Mariah was off of him. She quickly stepped to the desk in front of Enrique's, which was empty. 

Kai stayed sitting. He didn't know why he wanted to rebel so much; he just felt it was grossly needed. Besides, if he stayed sitting then he had a fine view of Rei's-- 

And so the class began.

* * *

Kai exhaled as he sat down on the boys' locker room bench, already dressed in his street clothes. He slid the bench back against the row of lockers and slumped back. He closed his eyes and shook his head a couple times to etch-and-sketch erase the mental pictures going through his mind. 

Something dropped to the floor. He opened his eyes to see Rei's gym bag sprawled on the floor, and it's contents leaking out. Rei must have forgotten to stash it in his locker when he left, which was pretty much right after giving Kai some new mental pictures, AKA Rei changing. 

He sighed, and dropped to his knees to stuff the contents back in. But, on a sudden whim, he grabbed a shirt and held it to nose. He breathed in a couple of times, letting the sweet smell of Rei wash over him. 

"Uh, what are you doing?" 

Kai's head shot up. Rei was standing in the doorway. 

Trying awfully hard not to blush, he threw the shirt at the black-haired boy. "Wash it, it smells," he said, using the most commanding voice he could muster under the circumstances. 

He stood up and left, ignoring Rei completely. 

"You forgot your bag!" Rei called after him. 

Kai continued walking. He desperately needed to cool off. 

Rei sniffed his T-shirt, wondering what his team captain was talking about. It did not smell.

* * *

Tyson crept into his house, trying his hardest not to make any sound. He'd even gone an extra block so that he could come in from the back and avoid the dojo. 

He glanced right and left, then sighed in relief. 

"Greetings, home boy!" Grandpa jumped out from behind the couch, waving his Kendo stick. 

"Aah!" Tyson yelled and fell back onto his butt. "Geez, gramps, don't scare me like that," he said as he winced and rubbed his bruised hip. 

"Time to get to training, little dude," the old man continued, ignoring his grandson's complaint. 

"Not now," Tyson said as he got back onto his feet. "Maybe tomorrow." 

"Nope, now's the perfect time. So either get to the beat or get off of the street." 

"But I just got back from practice and—" 

"You need to train. If you ever want to take over the dojo, then you've got to get good. So no excuses, chop chop. " 

Tyson sighed. Why couldn't his grandpa see that he didn't want to take over the dojo. That was his dream, and his dream only. Tyson only wanted to blade. 

_To be continued..._


	5. Redeadening Is Not A Word

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 5 - Redeadening Is Not A Word 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

The week carried on. Shadra had forgiven her friends, or at least realized that they were sort of right, but she kept up the strange new habits. Which was why she gave some money to Oliver (three weeks allowance gone, she whined) to pay for their little outing. Of course, she still had training to go to, but the others figured they could forgive her since they were taking her money for selfish means. 

The three car owners, Kai, Enrique and Mariah, drew straws to see who would pick up who. For some reason, the whole group found that this would be the fairest solution. 

And lo and behold, Kai drew Carly, Enrique drew Rei and Mariah drew Oliver. In the end, it wasn't exactly fair since none of them drew anyone they wanted in the first place (although the chosen were still nice choices, or so they said) and had to drive almost all the way across town. Then they figured out that they could fit in one car. And some people wonder why they weren't A students. 

And so Kai, who lived farthest from the theater, got to drive everyone in his new Jag. And guess the color? Black. 

His first stop was Enrique, which made him late for the rest of the pick ups. Kai had to wait in the car for fifteen minutes before he got fed up and knocked on the door. He heard a few voices screaming inside, something about who was going to answer the door. But Enrique showed up and hurried him away before Kai could ponder on the event. 

Next was Mariah and Rei together. They lived pretty much in the same neighborhood anyway, in Hieville's Oriental Town. At least that's what the residents called it, because the only Chinese Food place was there, which coincidentally was owned by Gary's folks, a Tokyo 7, a Japanese import store, and the dojo that Tyson's grandfather owned. It was the second coolest place in Hieville. Not because there were huge hills at the edge of it (they surrounded the entire town), but because it bordered the only road out of town. Plus, the whole not norm thing. 

Carly got the next draw because she lived just outside of Oriental Town. When they arrived, they decided to go and see Carly's stepmother, or Shadra's mother, and wish her well. 

Oliver was last because he lived downtown next to his family's restaurant. They watched as he hurriedly tried to escape. 

"But Oliver, you're such a good cook and with Antonio sick—" 

"You'll do fine, Mother," he told her, then rushed off. 

"But-But!" she called after him. 

Oliver hopped into the car. "Drive," he said. 

The Hieville Cinema only had three theaters, which was bigger than most small town theaters. Usually, you couldn't find anything good, since they could rarely afford the Blockbuster movies. Unluckily for them, they were playing both Roses of Eden and Flash that night. 

"Roses of Eden, it's so romantic," Mariah said. 

"But Flash has all those explosions and--Er, I think Roses of Eden would be a great movie," Rei said, smiling artificially and looking nervously at his girlfriend's glares. 

"Yes, I think Roses of Eden would—" Enrique noticed Carly glaring at him. "Flash?" he asked meekly. She nodded. 

"There's more to a great movie than car chases and explosions," Oliver said, acting wise. 

"No there isn't," Carly said. Enrique shrugged. 

No one noticed that Kai had wondered from the group. He really didn't want to see a romantic movie with Rei. And he'd already seen Flash. He looked up at the third poster. 

"What about this?" he asked. 

They all looked over. "The Redeadening?" Mariah asked. 

"It'd be fair," he said. 

"Isn't that something off the Simpsons?" Carly asked. 

"Yeah, but they turned it into a movie," Rei said. "I forgot about that." 

"We're going to see this," Kai ordered. "Anyone got a problem with that?" 

Everyone shook their heads. None of them wanted to find out what the 'solution' would be.

* * *

Shadra had been waiting until the boys left the locker room before entering, or until she was sure they were dressed. In the afternoon, it wasn't so bad as she retreated to a cubicle to change while they changed. But in the morning, well, they were always there first because they lived there, in the actual house section. She didn't want to think the really cruel guys as being sexy. But that afternoon she had been pulled aside by Boris for a few minutes, so she tried walking in with her eyes closed and her hand outstretched to keep herself from bumping into anything. What could go wrong with that plan? 

Three steps into the locker room and her hand touched something hard, but still cushion-y. She frowned, not knowing what it was. So of course she had to feel around a bit. It felt almost like— 

"Feel something you like?" 

Her eyes snapped open. Blue eyes pierced into her own brown ones. She had been feeling up Tala! And he was only wearing boxers! She jumped around, facing the opposite way. She was blushing so hard that she was afraid she'd it'd be permanent. "Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry," she said, her hands covering her nose. 

"Sorry, but my heart is reserved for beyblading, and beyblading only." 

"Shut up, Ivanov." 

Four hours later, she was still blushing. It didn't help that every some minutes Bryan would make a remark. Or Tala would. Or Spencer would smirk. To wrap it all up, she couldn't even concentrate on her beyblading.

* * *

The gang sat in the middle of the theater, in the middle of the movie. Oliver was sitting at one end, with Kai beside him, who unfortunately was next to Rei sitting with his girl, Mariah, then Enrique and Carly. 

Mariah was practically sitting on Rei, under the pretense that the movie was scaring the crap out of her. Which was true. She couldn't even look at the screen. 

On the other hand, Carly was far as could be, or at least to Enrique's mind. "Oh come on, that looks so fake!" she'd whisper, or "Cliched much?" What really shook the blonde beyblader was that he almost jumped into her lap when Baby Button-Eyes jumped out from the bushes. 

Kai glanced over at the lime haired beyblader. He expected him to be shivering in his little blue coat. But no, Oliver was actually leaning forward. Kai thought he heard the guy mumble something about great visual effects. He looked back at the screen just as a gray-haired black cape-style wearing man was illuminated by lightning. 

Kai jumped and nearly fell onto Rei, but he was still awfully darn close, not that he realized it. The guy on the screen looked just like his grandfather! Now that was frightening. 

Rei felt something on his right arm. He looked over and saw it was Kai's scarf. And boy did he ever looked scared. But that wasn't the thing he concentrated on, rather the fact that now two people were clinging onto him. His stoic captain and his girlfriend. Little did Rei know how much the two had in common.

* * *

Shadra walked home from training. She had checked the mirror before leaving, and her face was still red. Even professing her love to Kai while she was asleep during the history final (which she blamed on the school policy of making students stay a full hour) wasn't as embarrassing. 

She saw Kai's car pull up to her house. Had something happened? Oh, wait, her friends had gone to the movies with her evil stepsister, on Shadra's dime. Oi. 

"Oh hey, Chaton," Rei called, leaning outside the car to do so. She frowned. She really hated that name. He got out, as did everybody else. 

"What's wrong?" Mariah asked, seeing her red face. 

She blushed even more, if that was even possible. "Nothing happened, nothing at all," she said, waving her hands that were clasped to her launcher and beyblade. She had left the rest of her gear at the training base. 

"Do we have to tickle you?" Enrique asked, looking down at her. 

She sighed and told them about her little 'run in' with Tala. As soon as she finished, they all burst out laughing. Enrique was even rolling around on the lawn, and Kai was snickering. 

"Hey, a little support here," she demanded. 

"Sorry, sorry," Rei said as he tried to calm his mirth. "It's just that you felt up…" They all broke out into fresh peals of giggling. 

"Leave it to you to make up such a stupid plan," Enrique said when they had calmed down again. 

"It was good in theory!" she defended herself. 

"At least you didn't feel less... desirable areas. Or desirable, depends on your view," Rei said. 

"And at least he wasn't completely nude," Carly said. 

"I guess. I mean, I would've died from embarrassment then." 

"So tell us, was he very lickable?" Mariah asked. "Only asking," she said to Rei who looked a little peeved at the question. 

"I don't think that I want to answer that," Shadra said. 

"I guess it doesn't matter as long as we don't find you two making out behind the bleachers," Carly said. 

"I would never!" 

"How do we know? You never answered Mariah's question," her stepsister said. 

"Because I don't think they are!" 

"Then why are you blushing?" 

"Grrr." 

"Besides, you're already half way there." 

"I didn't mean to." 

"How do we know? We weren't there. For all we know you could have—" 

"I'm going to bed! B-E-D! And don't you perverts dare think that anything but sleep is going on there!" She spun around towards her house and stormed up to it. 

Carly sighed. "I guess I better go make sure she doesn't break anything." She too retreated to their house. 

"Well, one thing's for sure. Even with her new attitude towards rebonsipility, she's still the same underneath," Rei said. 

"AND DON'T YOU DARE TELL ANYONE!" Shadra yelled from the window. 

_To be continued..._


	6. Does Growing A Backbone Hurt?

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 6 - Does Growing A Backbone Hurt? 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

A week later, the Demolition Boys sat in their private locker room at Windigo Stadium, four hours from Hieville. Unfortunately, Boris had not told them that it was a tag-team tournament. 

"Shadra, your new blade," Boris said, handing it over to her. She looked shocked. She had thought she was beyblading with her usual one, the one she had made herself. 

But as she looked over her new beyblade, she became more excited about it. It was a major improvement over her last one. Better balance, better weight, and she bet whole-heartedly better maneuverability. She couldn't argue with the colors, red based tipped with black. It looked wicked cool. 

"The tag-team assignments are—" 

"What?" the bladers all exclaimed, even the mute Fero. 

"You never said—" 

"We're not—" 

"What the hell?" 

"Silence," Boris snapped. "Tala, you're with Spencer; Bryan with Shadra." 

"What?" Bryan almost yelled. 

"Shut up, or you won't be blading." 

Bryan did as he was told, glaring at the black-haired blader. Said blader wasn't too happy about it either. Why couldn't she pair up with Spencer? At least he wasn't constantly making snide remarks about her. 

They left the room shortly after talking strategy. Shadra didn't really follow it, except for the 'win' part. That she could easily understand. 

Bryan brushed past her, while growling, "You better not make me lose."

* * *

The only other Hieville Collegiate team was the White Tigers, sponsored by Gary's parents' restaurant. They too sat in their team locker room. 

"So it's decided then," Ms. Chan said. "Mariah and Lee, Kevin and Gary." 

"They'll get the tournament points so easily!" Kevin said, referring to Mariah and Lee. To get to the Inter-Collegiate Finals, a team had to have enough points to rank in the top four teams. To get these points, a team had to enter tournaments. Participating got you a point, runner up got a point plus the participation point, champion got a point plus the first two categories' points (totaling 3 points). The number of tournaments was up to the team (and their pocket books). Some teams had made it to Finals just for participating in a whole bunch of tournaments, while others just won a few. Team members could keep track by their battle analyzers, which were updated at the end of the tournament. 

"We'll finally get to see those Demolition Boys in action!" Mariah said. 

"They certainly do practice enough," Lee commented. "What was it you said, before and after school, plus all day on weekends?" 

Mariah nodded. 

"Then how come we've never seen them around school?" Kevin asked. 

"They have a private training place," Ms. Chan explained. 

"Which would explain why Shadra had to go into the guys' locker room," Mariah said. The others looked confused. "Didn't I tell you about her little escapade?" 

They shook their heads no, so she told them. The boys had the same reaction as Mariah had when she was told, complete and utter laughter. 

"I don't think that's very appropriate," Ms. Chan said, even though she was dying to break out into giggles. 

"Yes, we have concentrate on the upcoming battles," Lee said, calming down. 

They finished their strategy meeting, which had to do with winning, they gathered their stuff. 

"Rei is out in the crowd, eh?" Lee asked. 

"And Kai," Mariah said. "They're checking out the competition." 

"As long as they don't check us too closely."

* * *

Twelve teams had been entered, but the matches went quickly. Tala and Spencer destroyed their competition. Bryan and Shadra also won easily. Mariah and Lee, no question about it, were the favorites of the tourney with their lightning quick moves and almost psychic communication. Unfortunately, Kevin and Gary had had to face off against their teammates and were knocked out. They didn't feel too bad, since Mariah and Lee were their number one shot to begin with. 

The last three beybattles were scheduled to run the next day, since it was two-day. After the early date of the tourney, the overnight part was the biggest deterrent for teams. Not many with their small town sponsors or fundraising could afford to spend the night in a hotel. Some of the closer living teams went home for the night. 

The Demolition Boys and their teacher advisor retired to their hotel suite, which was overtop the stadium. 

"Tomorrow's battles will be a challenge, well, if you were on any team but this—" Boris was interrupted by the phone ringing. He scowled before picking it up. 

"Hello?" Boris asked. He scowled even larger before saying, "For you, girl." 

She smiled, oblivious to the glares everyone was sending her, flopped on the couch as she grabbed the phone from Boris' grip. 

"Guess who?" the voice on the other line asked. 

"The muffin man?" she asked. "That's great 'cause I'd like some chocolate muffin tops, you know, the ones where the stubs are cut off. And those little cream filled ones. Do you have any?" 

Again, she was oblivious to the expressions her teammates and math teacher were giving her. 

"Uh, no." 

"Well, then how about some of those muffins with the icing on top. They're called something like mug-cakes, cup-muffs…" 

"Cupcakes?" 

"Yeah those! Cupcakes. Do you have any of those?" 

"No, 'cause I'm not the muffin man! I'm not even a man." 

"You're a eunuch?" 

"I feel really glad that I told my team about your little run-in." 

"Mariah! How could you? And it was Ivanov's fault! And it was a whole week ago so just drop it." 

"Hey, you called me a guy," Mariah said. 

"Phones make your voice sound different." 

She heard Mariah sigh on the other line. 

"So why'd ya call?" 

"We're battling tomorrow." 

"Oh yeah, we're in the same tier." 

"And I was wondering if you figured out what your strategy is." 

"Yep." 

"I'll tell you ours if you tell us yours." Like they always did, she sould have remembered. 

"Deal." 

Boris motioned Bryan, who walked up to her lying on the couch and hit her on the head. 

"Like ow!" she snapped at the lavender-haired blader. She glared at him, and covered the speaker end of the phone. "I'm getting invaluable information here so just wait a few minutes." 

She turned back to the phone. "Sorry, please continue." She grabbed a pad of paper and a pen off the end table. 

The boys watched silently as she scribbled a few things down onto the pad. Sometimes she'd say 'Mmm-hmmm,' or 'That's smart'. 

"Our strategy? It's--" Bryan started making a move towards her, until he realized that the information she was giving the other person was totally bogus and outrageous. Not even a green beginner would try to pull that off. 

She sat up and hung the phone up. After that was another few minutes of scribbling. Smirking, she handed the pad to Boris. "The Golden Pair's Strategy."

* * *

Mariah got off the phone in the White Tiger's suite. She sighed in relief, and felt her whole self relax. For a while, she had been worried. 

"So what did Shadra have to say?" Lee asked. He was sprawled on the coach, while Kevin and Gary both took chairs, leaving their guests to sit on the love seat. 

Mariah repeated Shadra's strategy. They were all laughing again. 

"I don't know what's more funny, her feeling of the new guy or her strategy," Kevin said. 

"We'll be able to beat them easily," Lee said. "Even though they know our strategy." 

"I can't believe it's a tradition between you two to tell each other your strategies," Rei said. 

"Yep, starting in second grade when she accidentally blurted it out to me then demanded I tell her mine." 

Kai didn't say anything. He wasn't so sure that they should take that ridiculous strategy so seriously. But if his rival team was so earnest to believe it, why should he intervene?

* * *

Boris sat up late, hours after his beybladers had gone to bed. He was too excited to sleep. His new technology, the behavior modifier chip, was working perfectly. Results were much quicker than with his usual methods. 

The first day it was in, the outcome was very noticeable. The fight with her friends, the bitter cold ending she gave it, and the silent treatment after. Plus, the new discipline traits that were such as standing straight and automatically rising when he entered, even though she couldn't pronounce the word. Oh yes, he knew all about that little incident, as Tala had reported it to him. 

Now, merely two weeks later, the treachery she delivered to one of her closest friends was significant improvement. It had taken Boris two years to instill that in Tala. He was also proud of her resiliency, how she had bounced back instantly after Bryan's blow. And Bryan was no weakling. 

He knew all about her friends, her beyblading record, her social life, her school work, and her personality. He had hired a headhunter and private investigator to find him the perfect test subject. He needed her silliness, her close ties, her flakiness, her weak will for his experiment. Her weak beyblading skills and love for the sport made her even more perfect. It would make it easier to lure her in, and control her until the behavior modifier chip took full effect. 

And soon, hopefully, he'd be able to implement the second stage of the experiment.

* * *

At ten o'clock exactly, the Lee and Mariah VS Bryan and Shadra match began. The four displayed impressive launching RPM, as the announcer commented. 

Bryan's purple blade and Shadra's red beyblade circled Lee's black one and Mariah's pink one. One audience member was recorded as being relieved at the different colored beyblades; it was much easier to keep track of. 

With barely a glance between the Golden Pair, their blades struck out in opposite directions catching the Demolition Boy blades. The two D-Boys, expecting this, ordered their beyblades to circle around to the inside to strike Galux and Galleon forcing the two to the rim of the bowl. 

But hope wasn't far off for the White Tigers. They managed to push back, giving themselves more space between them and a loss. The red and purple beyblade switched sides, catching the two White Tigers off guard. That move made it easier to smash into the black and pink blade and throw it out of the beydish. 

"And the winner of this battle is Bryan and Shadra!" the announcer called. "But can they win the next one to win the match?" 

Shadra smiled as she jumped into the dish to retrieve her beyblade, now that it had stopped spinning. Bryan still hadn't needed to go through with his implied threat.

* * *

Up in the stands, Kai and Rei were watching. 

"That wasn't their plan," Rei said. 

"What did you expect?" Kai asked. "She's a Demolition Boy now." 

"What does that mean?" Rei asked. 

"They're not a very cordial bunch." Kai closed his eyes. "I wouldn't be surprised."

* * *

The second beybattle of the match began. 

"I guess I know how much my friendship means to you," Mariah said as all the blades were spinning around in the dish, no sign of the teamwork displayed in the last battle. 

"It's your fault for believing such a stupid plan," Shadra said. 

Galux and Shadra's red beyblade clashed in a fervent battle. They sawed at each other, pushing the line one way, then the next. On the other side of the beydish, Galleon was being pummeled by constant quick attacks from Falborg. 

"Galux, cat scratch attack!" Mariah commanded. 

The pink beyblade sped up infinitely, then went on to barrage the red beyblade with lightning quick scalpel-like cuts. Shadra's beyblade, unable to take it anymore, stopped spinning. 

Shadra scowled. She had improved so much, yet she still lost. And she knew why. Mariah had a bit-beast, she didn't. No matter how good she got, they would always beat her. 

Bryan took his attention off the match for one second to give her a very menacing glare. Mariah took the opportunity to help her partner out. Falborg sped in to take another blow to Galleon, but Galux intercepted, pushing Falborg off course. Bryan took one look at what had happened, and his scowl increased. 

The two White Tiger beyblades ganged up on him. They took turns hitting him towards the edge, as quick as rapid fire. Falborg made one attempt to escape, but Galeon, out for a little revenge, blocked him strongly, which actually pushed the purple beyblade out of the dish. 

"And the winner of the second beybattle is Lee and Mariah!"

* * *

"Yeah!" Rei cheered after the announcement went up. He doubted that Mariah could hear him, over the thunderous applause of the audience. "One down, one to go." 

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch," Kai said. Rei looked at him, waiting for him to explain. "They need to win once more, and the Demolition Boys will be fiercer, it's their last chance to win as well. And look." Kai motioned the teacher advisor and the lavender haired new kid.

* * *

Boris waited until Shadra had retreated to their locker room to replace her attack ring (brutally damaged by Galux's attack) before he gave Bryan his new instructions. Whatever progress she had made, it wasn't enough that she wouldn't object. 

"Don't lose," Boris reminded him, after the instructions. Bryan gave one quick nod.

* * *

The beybladers stood up on the podium. Shadra was all too aware of Bryan's descending view of her. If she didn't win… She hoped the new attack ring worked well with her combo, she had had to settle. The identical spare attack ring was nowhere to be found. 

"Three!" The beybladers took their positions around the beydish. Mariah wanted to win this battle more than anything. Shadra had lied to her. It hurt. She was going to get revenge by winning the match. 

"Two!" They fell back into launching position. Lee noticed the tenseness of his partner. She was hurt. He hoped that she could channel that correctly, or there'd be another pain for her. Losing the match. 

"One!" They put their hands to the ripcords. Bryan knew that if they didn't win, well, Shadra wouldn't be so perky anymore. 

"Let it rip!" They launched their beyblades simultaneously. 

"Falborg!" Bryan called. Mariah and Lee's eyes widened. They hadn't known that he had a bit-beast! A gust of wind, hurricane force, whipped out at the two of them. They crossed their arms to defend their faces. They both felt searing pain scratch across them. The wind dropped down. 

Mariah glanced herself over. A long shallow gash spread across her right arm. Lee noticed he too had a cut. 

Bryan took the opportunity to hammer at Galleon, but Shadra stood shocked. What the hell had just happened? Why were her friends hurt?' 

Mariah looked up and glared at the two Demolition Boys. Furious, she battled on mercilessly.

* * *

"What just happened?" Rei asked in the stands. 

"I don't know," Kai said. "But Falborg is a wind type bit-beast, it looks like." 

"I didn't see a bit-beast," Rei said. 

"Because it's the same color as the air."

* * *

Shadra had only so much she could do to fend off Mariah's attack. The pink-haired girl looked super pissed, her pupils slits and her fangs bared. Why didn't she attack Bryan this way? He was the one who did whatever it was that happened to her. Mariah must think that Shadra was involved. 

On the other hand, Bryan was conquering over Lee. Falborg pounded on the black beyblade. Lee finally had enough. 

"Galeon!" Lee called. The black lion rose from the bit. "Black thunder black lightning!" 

Black lightning bolts surrounded the king of cats, building up until they swooshed in a solid beam aimed at the purple beyblade. 

"Swerve!" Bryan commanded, but it was too little too late. The full on blast hit Falborg. When the blackness cleared up, the purple beyblade was defeated. 

Bryan growled, showing his fury. That hopeless beyblading girl with no bit-beast was his last hope of getting a win. 

Unfortunately, Shadra was fairing horribly at the paws of Mariah. Her red beyblade flitted around the dish like a leaf in a gale storm. To make matters worse, added to the Galux storm was Galleon. In merely twelve seconds, her red blade was knocked out of the bowl. 

"Going on to the final round, with a one-in-two chance of winning… Lee and Mariah!"

* * *

Rei cheered in the stands, joined by the White Tigers' fans, and heck, even those who were for the Demolition Boys. Possibly the only one not cheering was Kai, who was running the battle through his head. 

"After this next match, we'll find out who'll Mariah and Lee will be challenging," Rei said, returning to his seated position. 

"The other Demolition Boys pair, or that couple from Lakeridge," Kai said. 

"Who do you think will win?" Rei asked. 

"Demolition Boys," Kai answered immediately. 

"Hey, have you ever noticed how our small-town school has all the great beybladers?" Rei asked. The two-toned hair beyblader nodded. "Why do you think that is?" 

"We're simply superior."

* * *

Bryan was angry. No, he was past angry. He was at the point of violent raging fury. He never lost. Now, thanks to he's inferior partner, he had. Once inside the locker room, away from prying eyes, he let his emotion be known. 

The other two Demolition Boys just watched as Bryan took it out on Shadra, physically. They didn't care, and why should they? Bryan was only hurting the useless member of their team. Even Mr. Boris waited at the sidelines. 

He held her up against the wall, her feet inches from the ground, by the neck. Shadra's face was turning blue from lack of oxygen. Her hands were at his one, trying to pry them off. Bryan yelled at her for how stupid, how useless, how simply inferior she was. That she shouldn't even be on the team. 

He wasn't the only one angry. Shadra felt the emotion rise in her at the constant insults and lack of oxygen. She was suffocating. He did not intend to let her live. She slammed her fist into his nose. 

Bryan let go more from surprise than actual hurt. It had felt like a pixie tried to hit him. 

"There are two teammates in tag-team! Two people responsible for a lost! And you were the first one out! So don't blame it on me!" she yelled, as soon as she had caught her breath. 

Tala snickered. "Look's like she actually has some fight in her." 

Spencer smiled. She had actually hit the sadistic beyblader, even yelled back at him. 

Boris smirked. Another success added to the behavior modifier chip's list. 

They waited for Bryan's response. So far, he hadn't done anything but stand there, not an expression, not a movement. Sure, he could beat her into a coma, but he might actually get hurt in the process. Now she was a part of the team. They had all hit each other. Besides, they needed a fourth member to compete. If she were in a coma, she'd be totally useless. 

"You lost first in the second beybattle," Bryan said, grinning. One up on her. 

"Oh, and Mr. I'm-Such-The-Perfect-Blader can't handle a little two-on-one?" 

"Not when I'm distracted my your ugly face." 

"You haven't even mastered concentration, one of the basic skills? Shame." 

They kept on insulting each other until Tala and Spencer's match. But thankfully, for both of them, there was no assaulting.

* * *

Shadra closed the door to her house after Mr. Boris had dropped her off. "Richard? Carly?" greeted her, coming from the kitchen. 

"No, it's just me," Shadra said as she entered the room. Her mother was sitting at the island alone, but with enough food to feed three. 

"I didn't expect you back so soon," her mother said, glancing at the food. "I didn't make enough…" 

"Don't worry, I'll just have Carly's," Shadra said, sitting down at a plate and started piling food on. Her mother just smiled. 

"How was the tournament?" 

"Five by five. It was tag-team." 

"Yeah? And how did that go?" 

"Made it to the semi-finals, but got trashed by Mariah and Lee." 

"Those two have been beyblading together forever," her mother reminisced. "I remember when they were little tots, always holding onto their launchers, beating the older kids." 

"Yeah, it's real surreal. Especially the part where we didn't live here then." 

"Don't make fun of your mother, the one with the hole in her skull. Don't give me that look, it's absolutely true. No, it has not healed yet. Yes, I'm such a horrible mother," she said, answering the expressions on her daughter's face. "So they won, right?" 

"Mariah and Lee? Naw, Tala and Spencer did, though it was real close. I thought for a second they had won." 

"So do you have a break tomorrow?" her mother asked. "From training." 

"This is my break right now." 

"That Mr. Boris sure works you hard," her mother commented. 

"But my skills have improved like crazy. Hey, where is Carly and Dick?" 

Her mother frowned at the use of that nickname. "Your stepsister needs to get a new pair of sneakers for cheerleading. Richard went along so that she'd buy sensible shoes." 

"And a few new outfits." 

"Shadra!" 

"It's true, Dick spoils her." 

"He spoils you too." 

"But I don't take advantage." 

"That's true." 

Shadra laughed. "Two points for me, while the greedy daughter gets none." 

"Plus new shoes." 

_To be continued..._


	7. Yuri Is Slash

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 7 - Yuri Is Slash 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

The next morning, things went very smoothly in training. Or at least teammate wise. The actual training was still as hard as ever, possibly even harder. Boris seemed to take Bryan and Shadra's loss as a lack of skill, rather than Mariah and Lee were simply better. 

Currently, they sat in Math class in a corner. The rest of the students had yet to arrive. 

"In Russia, my name isn't Tala," Ivanov said. 

"Why'd you change it?" Shadra asked. 

"His name's Yuri," Bryan said. 

"As in girl on girl slash?" Bryan nodded. She laughed. 

"Shut up, Chaton," Tala said. She put her hands up in defense, but had trouble holding them up because of her giggling. Taking one look at Tala's expression, she took a few minutes to calm down. 

"No more laughing," she said. 

"Bryan's name was Boris," Tala said. 

"That must've been confusing," Shadra said. 

"Not really. We called Boris Balkov, his first name." 

"And the team was Neo Borg." 

"I get it! Because your bit-beasts all end in –borg." They nodded. "So who was your fourth member?" 

"A short kid named Ivan," Tala said. "He decided to stay in Moscow." 

"What about you?" Bryan asked. 

"What about me what?" 

"Your blading history, moron." 

"Hey! I just didn't know what you meant," she said the last part kind of meekly. She leaned back in her desk, looking up at the ceiling. "Last year I was on the Bladebreakers' team. Then Eddy moved here last year. Max took my spot, and Eddy took his spot on the All Starz." 

"During the beyblading season?" 

"Well, no. They put up with me until after Finals passed. But this year, they changed it up. I was gone all summer too, so I couldn't argue my case or make them feel guilty." 

Mariah and her boyfriend walked in, the pink-haired girl fuming and Rei looking like she'd been this way since yesterday's match. Shadra didn't even notice her until she slammed her Math text on the desk that the black-haired girl was sitting at. 

"What the hell!" Mariah yelled. Her arm was bandaged where it had been mysteriously sliced. 

"Uh…" 

"Uh…! That's all you have to say for yourself!" 

"Huh…" 

"Oh so much more articulate! Maybe you and your giant vocabulary can tell me why you lied to me!" 

"What?" 

"You don't even remember! I'll refresh your memory!" She slammed her hands down on the table again. "Lying to me about your strategy! When I told you ours truthfully!" 

"Oh… Did you really think that I'd just give up my team's plan?" 

"You didn't have to say yes! You could have refused! Instead, you lie! You cheat!—" 

"You won." 

"That's not the point! You could've done many other things, but instead you choose to lie to me! Your friend! I hope that your team is good company because I'm never speaking to you again!" 

"Okay." 

"What do you mean okay! Is our friendship worth nothing to you!" 

"This sounds an awful lot like speaking to me." 

Mariah hmphed, then strode across the room to sit down. Shadra turned back to her teammates. While they had been fighting, other students had come in, and now the match was all everyone could talk about. And why wouldn't they? Betrayal, ending friendships, and beyblade makes an awfully irresistible combination. Through in Mariah and Lee's mysterious injuries and it could be in the tabloids. 

"What? She really did that?" Oliver asked. Mariah nodded, too furious to speak. Rei had had to explain it. The usual group, minus the traitor, and plus Kai and Lee, were sitting on the exact opposite side of the room from the Demolition Boys. 

"Kai, what great and insightful wisdom do you have to beseech us?" Rei asked, playing it up again, not knowing that Kai really didn't like it. He was blushing on the inside. 

"Teenagers are bound to move through several groups in high school. They lie, they tease, they steal, and they mock, especially towards their old friends. It's only natural," Kai said. 

"So that makes it alright?" Mariah practically yelled. 

"No, just that you should calm down a little." 

"N—" 

"Kai's right," Lee said, cutting her off. "It's useless to get so worked up about it." 

"How can I not? With her smugness, and her smart ass-ness, and all of them going 'He, he, he.'" 

"Did you remember to do your homework?" Lee asked. 

Mariah's face fell from the angry fangy grimace. "No…I'm going to fail," she said, clasping her hands onto her face. 

"See? You haven't thought about her for three seconds," Lee said. 

Mariah sighed. They obviously won't understand her plight since they had yet to come one-on-one with Demolition Boy Shadra. But she doubted it wouldn't take very long.

* * *

"Hi, Emily," Kenny said as he boldly walked up to her in the cafeteria. It was lunch period, and the large room was humming from the student body. 

"Oh, hey Kenny," she said, looking up from her laptop. 

He sat down across from her, the only nearby available seat. "That tag-team tournament was really something," he said. 

Emily nodded. "I just wish I had some data from it… Darn, I really should've went." 

"I've got information," Kenny said, remembering the video footage and profiles Kai and Rei had brought back for him. "Maybe tonight we could go over it." 

"Sorry, I can't. Max and I are going out." 

"Oh…"

* * *

Shadra winced as she changed into her gym uniform. Her bruises, now a not-so-healthy dark purple, were the cause. She sighed, looking down at herself. Some were fully viewable now, which were previously covered by her school uniform. A necklace of bruises hung around her neck. 

Maybe Mariah would get over their little fight long enough to ask her about it. But all the pink-haired girl was 'hmphed', and fingered her bandage. None of the other girls asked, seeing as how none of them wished to feel the cat girl's wrath. Shadra sighed. 

_To be continued..._


	8. Ritual of the Dark Phoenix

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 8 - Ritual of the Dark Phoenix 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

Kai switched on the TV. Yet again he needed to clear his mind of… thoughts. He pressed the 'random channel' button on his remote control, which switched to the provincial sports channel. 

"Yesterday marked the Demolition Boys fourth tournament win," a newswoman said, smiling rather fakely. The square by her head showed the team logo, a spiked metal ball with fire coming up from behind. "This brand new team has already beaten many well known names in the IHS Beyblading circuit, including tag-team champions of Hieville Collegiate, Mariah Shian and Lee Koei, team Fire Blast of Dominion Technical School, and team Havoc Wreckers of Castlewell Collegiate. This brings them to a total of fourteen points in total, bringing them to the number one position in rank." 

A rather stout young man replaced the woman. This time, the square showed Kai's team logo, a blue, gray and orange beyblade. "The Bladebreakers, also from Hieville Collegiate, is the only team to be able to rival the Demolition Boys, say the sport's experts, at least this early in the season. They have won both the tournaments they have competed in. Sadly for this team, that only brings them to six points, earning them only fourth. 

"Concerning whether or not the two teams will meet soon in a tournament, we asked Demolition Boys' sponsor, Biovolt Corporation. Their spokesperson and CEO, Voltaire Hiwatari, said that his team is open to any challenge from the Bladebreakers team." 

Wait… That was Kai's grandfather! Now he was double sure that the Demolition Boys and their teacher supervisor were up to no good. 

The camera switched back to the woman. "In non related news, Balfour Collegiate's senior basketball team…"

* * *

Kenny sat by the cafeteria window, a blizzard storming outside. To some students, that meant early dismissal and a snow day the next day. Unfortunately, Hieville got a lot of snow and freezing temperatures so the town was well equipped to handle it. There hadn't been a snow day for over sixty-five years. 

But Kenny wasn't thinking about the snowstorm. His attention was directed solely on Emily and Max, who sat a few tables away. All that giggling and feeding each other… didn't they realize they were in a public forum? Argh. 

He will break them up if it's the last thing he did! But how? 

"Well don't you just look deep." 

He looked up to see Miriam sitting down diagonally from him. 

"Oh hi," he said. 

"We still on for tonight?" 

He looked at her, a surprised expression. What… 

"For our study date." 

Oh yes, Miriam had asked him to help her with her physics. A loud laugh erupted from Max's and Emily's table. He looked from Miriam to Max, then back to her. He got an evil idea. 

"Could you do me a favor?"

* * *

Kai leaned back in his chair, at one of the science lab tables. As if it could only be possible, Ms. Tate's lecture was more complicated and more boring than ever. Normally, he might have listened, and probably would understand it as well. He just didn't want to spare the energy. 

He looked around the room. Mariah and Rei, who sat beside him at the lab table, were passing notes to one another. Kai mentally shuddered. What those two were writing about, he didn't want to know (he didn't like to admit that his own thoughts were probably worse). He quickly looked away. 

Enrique sat in front of Kai, but for some strange reason, Enrique seemed to be paying attention. He was even reading the textbook! And he looked like he enjoyed it! Kai examined it further, and sighed. Nudie mag. That guy seriously needed to get a girlfriend. Oh right, the blonde airhead related to the black-haired airhead. 

Oliver sat beside Enrique, doodling in his notebook. That's what he could do to pass the time till the stupid bell rang. Except, he'd never done that before. Maybe when he was little… He couldn't remember. He had a reason for not remembering, not that he remembered or anything. 

He sat forward, and rested his pencil on the page. His eyes moved all the way across the room, landing on the four Demolition Boys. They were the only ones listening to Ms. Tate's lecture, though they did look rather bored with it. 

His grandfather was financing their team. His own flesh and blood was in part responsible for Shadra's transformation. She hardly ever talked to any of her old group, even him, who she supposedly had a crush on. In fact, she never talked much to anyone except her teammates, who he now never saw her without. She hadn't even said anything when she walked by Enrique and Carly making out on the front lawn like rabbits. She was a lot quieter, disciplined (or dickaplined, he joked to himself), and punctual. She always got top grade on her schoolwork, although he never saw her do anything. The other Demolition Boys as well. Even her eyes looked different. Instead of their usual soft brown (which were often compared to that of a horse's), they steadily grew more red. They were almost the same shade as Kai's. 

Rei passed the note back a little to hard, sending it past Mariah and nearly onto Kai's binder. She grabbed the note, then noticed the picture he was doodling. Kai was depicted kissing a girl with black hair and bangs like her boyfriends. She glanced at Kai, whose eyes were glossed over looking across the room. She followed his gaze. Kai had a crush on Shadra! 

Mariah silently fumed. How could he like that… that… disgusting traitor! She desperately wanted to hit him over the head with her stool, but she held herself back. If he wanted to like that stupid moron, than he can. She'll just give him the silent treatment. 

"Will you kids listen!" Ms. Tate suddenly exploded, shaking Kai and Mariah from their thoughts. "I know that this isn't the most exciting lesson, but you need to learn it. Shadra, who was the scientist who detected the first optical pulsar?" 

"Jocelyn Bell." 

"It's nice to see that one person was paying attention. But I feel a pop quiz coming on. Get out a sheet of loose leaf and close up your books." 

Many groans and moans and 'not fair' were heard through out the room. Kai sighed. The one time he hadn't paid attention, and he would get a failing mark on one little quiz. 

He looked down at his binder, his eyes immediately on his doodle. His eyes widened. He had subconsciously drawn Rei and him kissing! Right beside Rei's girlfriend! He snatched a clean paper out of his binder and closed the darn thing before anyone could see the picture.

* * *

Shadra stepped into the office, the automatic sliding door closing behind her. Boris sat opposite her, leaning his elbows onto the desk in front of him. She took a hesitant step forward. She had never been in his office before, and considered it a very bad thing to be visiting now. Her teammates' horror stories didn't help matters. 

He stood up, walked to a wall. What the hell? Was this supposed to be some kind of… uh, booty call? He touched the wall with his hand, and slid open. Oh, it was a hidden door. He walked through it a couple steps, then stopped. "Follow me," Boris said, as if realizing that she didn't know what to do. 

She leaped a couple of steps to catch up. Boris continued walking. This hallway was different from the rest of the base. Instead of cold sterile walls, it featured dark stone walls. Instead of smooth repetition, it looked like the hallway had been chipped out of the surrounding rock bed. 

"For the past three months, ever since that tag-team tournament, you have never lost a match. Never in practice nor in competition." 

She frowned. She knew that, and it wasn't like Boris to say any sort of compliments. Something was up. 

"Even most bit-beast beyblades fall to your powerful blade. But most is not enough." 

Shadra peered into the darkness ahead. A spotlight shone down upon something in the near distance. In took them a whole minute to reach it. The light shone down upon a black display, golden talons held onto the piece on display. Chains ran every which way, holding the piece still. She looked closer. 

"It's a beyblade," she said, without even thinking. But it was true, the black and green object was a beyblade. 

"Yes, but there's something special about it. Look closer." 

She obeyed, and noticed the black phoenix etched onto the bit. 

"Twelve years ago, Biovolt Corporation acquired this bit-beast. We studied it, and even though it had impressive results while launched from a bey-bot, it was little more than useless." 

Then what was with the security? Shadra wondered. 

"Before we disassembled our testing equipment, or removed it from our labs, a young boy who had been training with us at that time broke into our lab. He had seen testing and wished to test it out. We can only assume, seeing as how it destroyed half our facilities, and his memory up to that point." 

Bet he didn't see that one coming, Shadra thought. 

"He grew up to become a master of beyblade. So we changed our theory, and it tested true. The weaker the beyblader, the weaker the bit-beast is. But the stronger…" 

"Then the Phoenix gets stronger." 

Boris nodded. "You are one such beyblader." 

"What? I'm not!" 

"Just touch it." 

"Huh?" 

"Touch it, then decide whether you are worthy." 

Shadra obeyed, her hand slow and shaking. A flash of anger rose through her. Why should she be afraid to? She firmly planted her fingers on the black attack ring. 

Images flashed before her: A man, a black phoenix rising behind him destroying a village. A woman ordering the phoenix to destroy her husband. A blood-covered knight slicing his foes with a phoenix-engraved broadsword, a black aura emanating from the steel. A noble woman, wearing a black opal necklace raising a dagger to kill the king. The visions sped faster and faster, banging through her mind like a drum beat. Countless samurais falling to the curved sword of a rogue with the black phoenix flying overhead. A nobleman whipping his slaves to death. A teenager was shooting a Sheriff with a musket. They kept going and going. Then a vision of a blue and gray haired little boy, that broke into a hundred million tiny shards. She fell forward through the darkness. 

Her environment appeared around her. She was on her knees, her one hand clutching the black beyblade. Her breath came in steady gasps. 

"Will you claim this bit-beast as your own?" Boris asked. 

She got to her feet; her head bowed and eyes shadowed. Her fingers never left the attack ring. All that pain… All that death… She smirked. "Yes." 

Boris smiled and went to release Phoenix from it's cage. 

All that victory… 

"You are mine!" 

The chains disengaged and flew back up to the ceiling. The talons' grasp lessened. She picked it up, bit facing up, holding it a foot from her face. 

"Black Dranzer…"

* * *

Enrique stomped the snow off his boots at his house's front door, because doing that in the porch would be fruitless. Stupid Robert, he thought, taking off his coat which included a half-inch of snow. Making them train in the blizzard. Stupid Johnny, he thought, shaking out his school uniform jacket. Sticking a snowball down his shirt. 

"Enrique honey, could you come in here a second?" his mother's voice called from the dining room. Enrique didn't know what to think about that. He couldn't hear his parents bickering. But he did as he was told. 

"Sit down," his father said. Enrique did, and looked at his parents. They looked very serious. 

"Now, son, you'll be surprised to hear this but I think your mother is a selfish bitch." 

"And I think your father is a mother-fucking bastard who can't even remember to bring milk home on his way from work, even though he passes the supermarket." 

Enrique sweat dropped. It wasn't a very good surprise, seeing as how they had yelled them from across the house and said other worse surprises. 

"We really can't stand the sight of each other," his mother said. 

"So we decided to get a divorce," his father said. 

"It's important for you to know that we love you equally," his mother said, reaching across the table to grab his hands. "But I love you just a little bit more," she whispered. She sat back in her chair, and Enrique realized she had stuck a hard candy in his hands. 

"So an cold impartial judge who doesn't even know anything about us will decide," his father said. 

A divorce… Well, at least there wouldn't be anymore fighting. In the house, at least. They may even grow to respect each other when they're apart. Oh, who was he kidding? The next few months, even the next couple years will be hell for him. 

_To be continued..._


	9. Slipping In A Little Deeper

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 9 - Slipping In A Little Deeper 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

Tala launched Wolborg, his beyblade, into the beydish during the morning's practice. His wolf immediately took out the bey-bot blades with very little effort. The gray beyblade shot back into his waiting hand. 

Too easy, he thought. He watched the other two beybladers. Bryan, using his wind bit-beast Falborg, sliced and diced the oncoming beyblades. Spencer's Seaborg dived upon its' enemies. Tala smirked. They were getting too good. 

He walked around his beydish to the gray bey-bot, and programmed it for a harder scenario. The last program was for Shadra's level. Speaking of the dunce, where was she? He hadn't seen her all morning. Boris must have really chewed her out if she would miss practice because of it. Oh well, it was none of his business anyway. 

Unknown to the other Demolition Boys, Shadra had arrived early, so early that she had had the entire facility to herself. Pacing herself, she had worked weights, run miles on the track, and practiced launches till Boris had come along to tell her about this special dish. 

Two things made this dish special. One was the fact it was nearly thirty meters in diameter. The second was that it was made from pure steel, not the metallic plastic used in regulation bowls. There was possibly a third point; it being those thirty or so computerized launchers surrounding the dish. They were not bey-bots, which were large and cumbersome, but sleek and high-tech rifle look-a-likes. They were hooked to a main computer in the overlooking room, which Boris was working. 

The launchers made a sound like a rifle being handled, and Shadra fell back into launching position. They simultaneously launched. 

Black Dranzer spun around the beydish, dodging playfully the gray beyblades. In one move, the phoenix spun between two enemies, which dived for the black beyblade. But Black Dranzer was too quick, and they crashed into each other. 

Shadra stood there, overlooking the sadistic playing. It wasn't time yet. 

Boris was about to pull his hair out. Why wasn't she attacking? All the phoenix did was defend. Maybe she wasn't worthy after all. Several minutes passed. 

"Black Dranzer!" Shadra called out. The dark phoenix obeyed her command, and got down to business. 

In merely a minute, every single beyblade was trashed. Bits of gray plastic and metal slid down the sides into the middle. Whole parts, cracked beyond repair, bounced down the sides, still moving from its former speed. 

The dark phoenix was still spinning. Shadra closed her eyes. Don't tell anyone about Black Dranzer, Boris had told her. Don't worry, she thought to herself. She wouldn't share something this good.

* * *

Miriam waited until Emily and Max separated to ask. That was no easy task. The two stuck together more than Mariah and Rei. But she had to do it, or she wouldn't get her reward: Kenny's Physics Notes, the Holy Grail of all notes. Out of sheer luck, Emily was called to Mr. Dickinson's, the school principal, office. 

"Hey, Max," she said, sliding up to him as he walked down the hall, smiling her gorgeous smile. 

Max blushed, but tried to hide it. "H-hi." 

Miriam inwardly smirked. This would be easier than she had even suspected. 

"Whatcha' doing tonight?" 

"Uh…" 

"Good, you're coming to the cinema with me. My all time favorite movie is playing. You just have to see it, it's so cool." 

"But—" 

"Great! I'll meet you there at eight!" She hurried off before Max could say anything.

* * *

Oliver sat down at his assigned spot in the Physics lab, which also doubled as a Chemistry lab and a Biology lab. The bell rang, and Ms. Tate started her lesson. He glanced at the empty seat beside him. 

Where was Enrique? He hadn't been seen since practice ended yesterday. Did he get lost in the storm? Nah, it would've been on the news. The teachers didn't expect him at all. Something must have happened. The lime-haired beyblader sighed. Enrique would tell him when he was ready.

* * *

Carly shivered miserably as she walked home from school. Her father had had to use the family car, so she was left walking. And stupid Enrique, avoiding her like that. She hadn't even been able to find him for their 'special janitorial supply room acquaintance' time. 

What did that little French kid say? She hadn't been really listening. It was bad enough that she wasn't dating a senior, but to be seen talking with him? She shivered again. Enrique was worth the popularity rating descent, but no one else. Oh yeah, he said that Enrique wasn't in school all day. Well, she guessed she could forgive him. 

"Grace!" she called out to her stepmother, when she arrived home. The TV was on some cheesy soup opera. 

No reply. How rude. 

"Grace!" 

Still no reply. 

She took her shoes off, yanking them hard, and nearly tore her jacket off. She jumped forward into the living room. Some couple were making out on the television screen. There was a bowl of some kind of brown liquid on the coffee table. Ice cream, she realized. Their wicker chair was knocked over. 

She gasped, taking one step back. "Grace!" she yelled, running around the sofa and yanked the chair up. Her stepmother laid there, unconscious. Carly tapped the woman on cheek. The skin felt cold to her touch. 

"Oh god, oh god, oh god," she said, and ran to the kitchen where the phone was. As quickly as she could she dialed 911.

* * *

Mariah cornered Kai in an empty hallway, after the student population had left for the day. 

"What?" Kai snapped. 

"That picture you drew in Physics yesterday," Mariah said. "How dare you!" Kai winced. "Crushing on that traitorous bitch!" 

Huh? 

"After abandoning us, betraying us, you want her!" 

Kai blinked. Oh… Mariah thought he fancied Shadra. Now that he thought about it, the two looked awfully alike, especially for two individuals who weren't related in any shape or form. 

"It's disgusting, it's despicable, it's unholy!" 

Okay, was she talking about his supposed interest in Shadra, or his actual interest in Rei? That woman could be so confusing. 

"I don't have a crush on Shadra," Kai said. "I was just thinking about her and accidentally drew that… doodle." 

"What exactly were you thinking about her? 'Cause from the way it looked it couldn't have been so innocent." 

"The Demolition Boys' sponsor is Biovolt Corporation." 

"So? Everybody knows that." 

"My grandfather's company." 

"Yeah—Oh…" 

The two just stood there in silence. 

"This is great! You just have to convince your grandfather to cut their funding," Mariah said. "Sweet, sweet justice." 

If he ever saw him. "I don't think he'd take advice from the captain of their chief rival." 

"Oh! You could steal top secret documents about them!" 

"It wouldn't be fair." 

"So? We'd have the leading edge!" Mariah could see she wasn't winning him over. "Would you rather the team that your own flesh and blood put faith in win, or would you like to show him up?" 

"Fine, I'll look." 

"That's all I ever asked."

* * *

Carly and Dick stared blankly at the television screen in the hospital's waiting room. Grace had been in the operating room for five hours. No one had come to tell them what was going on. 

Paramedics had rushed over to their house and started CPR on Grace's limp body. For once, Carly had trouble answering questions. They managed to get Grace breathing again and rushed her to the emergency room. There, Carly had called her father. Shadra was unreachable. 

They both held their breaths as a surgeon came in. But he didn't come to them, but to another individual. They sighed. More waiting. 

Ten minutes later, a doctor came in. This time, he walked over to them. Dick stood up, followed by Carly. 

"I'm sorry," the doctor said. "She died." 

Carly choked, tears falling freely down her face. She sat down, resting her elbows on her knees. 

"What?" Dick asked. Tears were gathering in his eyes too. 

"In patients who have had tumors removed, there's always a risk of a blood clot occurring. In this instance, the clotting was slow, but she was unconscious for most of it." 

"But couldn't you remove it?" Dick choked out. 

"Usually we can, if the patient gets to us fast enough. But her brain was damaged from lack of air too severely, and she died from that." 

Dick nodded, sat down, and hugged his daughter.

* * *

Shadra lied on her back on her bed, holding Black Dranzer above her so that she could look at it. Practice had been fantastic. She still hadn't trained in front of the boys, shown them just how powerful she could be, but that didn't matter. The sheer power that had exploded from the dark phoenix was all that did. 

Boris couldn't be prouder, she knew. She could beat any bit-beast she came across. He thought that she had met the glass roof now, she couldn't get anymore powerful. Did he ever need to get his eyesight checked. There was still a whole lot more way to go, and she vowed to get there. There, no one would ever stand a chance in beating her. Not ever. 

Someone knocked on her bedroom door. "Shadra?" Dick called, his voice a little shaky. 

"What?" she snapped. 

"I need to speak to you," he answered. 

She huffed. After putting Black Dranzer in the drawer of her desk, she said, "Fine," and sat back down on her bed. 

Dick opened the door. His face was wet and red. 

"You probably noticed that your mother wasn't here when you came home this evening," he started, his voice unsteady. 

"So?" 

"She fainted today, sometime around lunch the doctors said. A blood clot formed in her brain." 

He paused again. Hurry up, Shadra mentally yelled at him. She didn't have all night to listen to his silence. 

"She died." 

"That it?" she asked. 

Dick's eyes widened. "Yes, I just wanted to tell you of your mother's death." 

"'Kay, then you can go now." 

Dick obliged, feeling that Shadra's actions were a bit apathetic, but everyone deals with grief their own way. She was probably crying right now, but didn't want him to see. 

But Shadra just grabbed Black Dranzer out of her desk and planned what kind of program she'd try the next practice. 

_To be continued..._


	10. Darkness Enshroud

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 10 - Darkness Enshroud 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

Kai woke up early Saturday morning. A chill went down his spine. Something evil was here. Something satanic. Something so black that even hell wouldn't accept it. 

Or it could be his grandfather was standing in the front hall with his luggage. But then again, those two ideas were the one and same.

* * *

"Oh, good morning sir," Boris said, shocked at Voltaire's appearance at the training base. Voltaire never visited, especially in the morning. 

"Where's the two experiments?" Voltaire asked, not even greeting the purple-haired man. 

"Training, sir. Would you like to watch them?" Boris asked. 

Voltaire nodded, his motion stiff and grim. 

"Experiment #C90003768 is the closest." The two men walked down the hallways. As they went, Boris told his employer the improvements the experiment had made since the last progress report. 

"Just three days ago, its mother died. Yet, it hasn't even asked to cut down training or took any time to mourn. It seems almost like nobody told it about its mother." 

"Interesting." 

"In just a short time partnered with Black Dranzer, there has been a significant improvement in both power and skill. But so far, it has only been tested against bey-bot beyblades." 

They stopped in the lab overlooking the giant beydish. The computer was humming, starting its launching sequence. Boris and Voltaire stepped up to the window to see the female figure standing in launching position. 

"It looks scrawny," Voltaire commented. 

"Don't be fooled by outer appearances. Her strength has increased four fold," Boris said, closing his eyes and slightly grinning. 

"I thought you were going to give Black Dranzer to Kai," Voltaire said as the girl and the rifle launchers launched together. 

"There is still time to bring him to our side," Boris said. "He will get the bit-beast then. But for now, it is a invaluable to Shadra's progress." 

"Shadra… As in Shadra Stephens?" Voltaire asked. 

"Yes sir." 

"I've heard my grandson mention that name once." 

"Well, sir, they were friends." 

"Are they still on good terms?" 

"Well enough… Are you planning something, sir?" 

"She may be our ticket to getting Kai." 

They watched silently as the black beyblade stormed around the dish, destroying anything that came even close to it. All of its opponents were smashed to pieces, and the dark phoenix returned to its blader's hand. 

"With your grandson as it's master… well, the show will be much more impressive, sir."

* * *

Shadra jogged home. Boris had ordered her to go home, that she had been training non-stop till nightfall. She would've continued anyway except their corporate sponsor had been there, and rebel team members weren't good on the checkbook. She could use the time to read that stupid English book Ms. Chan had assigned them and insisted she read. Even Boris couldn't get her around it. 

At least it seemed semi-interesting. A girl, who wants to be a warrior but couldn't fight worth a darn. Plus she was a girl. Then this House did some magic so she could fight better than anybody, but only because she vowed to obey their commands. And, of course, they're evil and use her to try and kill the prince or something like that. Pasha, like anything like that would happen in real life. That's why they call it fantasy. 

She went into her room and climbed onto her bed with the book in her hand. Soon she was halfway through. Her reading speed had quadrupled in the past few months. 

"Shadra, are you almost ready?" Dick called from outside her room. He slid the knot of his tie up. 

"For what?" the answer was. 

He frowned. How could she have forgotten? "Your mother's funeral." 

Silence. Then, "Not going." 

"WHAT?" he opened the door. His stepdaughter was looking up at a book, dressed in her now usual black and gray. 

"Not going," she repeated, still reading that book. 

"Why not?" 

"Practice," Shadra said. 

"You're missing your own mother's funeral for some stupid game!" Dick yelled, slamming his fist down on her desk. 

Shadra just keep on reading that blasted book. He grabbed it from her, throwing it at the door. 

"As of now, you are officially off that team!" 

This got her attention. She sat up facing him and glared at him. Her eyes, they were so different. Red and cold. How could he have not noticed till now? 

"No." 

That was all she said in defense. But she sounded authoritative, and unswayable. Carly was watching from the door. 

"Oh yes you are if you want to live under my roof!" 

"Fine." 

"Now get ready for the funeral," he snarled. 

"No. It was fine, I'm leaving," she said as she got up and grabbed a duffel bag from under her bed. She grabbed a few clothes out of her closet (all black and gray). 

"Don't be ridiculous. You have nowhere else to go!" 

"I do." She grabbed her face paints off her desk and her spare launcher. She pushed past her stepfather and her stepsister, leaving the household for good. 

Dick watched out the window, a small figure with a duffel bag walking in the snowfall.

* * *

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Boris growled under his breath. He bet it was Voltaire. The old man just left, for crying out loud! He started to understand why it was good that Voltaire never came. The old man questioned everything he did and wouldn't leave. 

He hesitated at the door. Maybe he could just turn around. Voltaire would never know. Boris could say that he was down in the training facilities and hadn't heard. And it was locked because Boris was sure that Voltaire hadn't wanted to come back so soon. 

He sighed. He had to. So, he opened it. 

A huge gust came in, snow flying everywhere in the foyer. Great, now he was freezing and covered in berg. Plus, he had one unwanted… 

It wasn't Voltaire. Shadra stood there, looking up at him stonily from beneath her bangs. She couldn't want anymore training, it was physically dangerous and he couldn't risk the experiment like that. Wait—A bag stuffed full of something? 

He grinned. This made up for everything the old man had put him through. He stepped away to allow Shadra entrance to her new home. 

_To be continued..._


	11. The Countdown Begins: One Month

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 11 - The Countdown Begins: One Month 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

Kai walked into his grandfather's elaborate home office. What the hell did Voltaire want from him? Did he know that Kai had snuck into his office to go through his files? It had been a waste of time 'cause apparently his grandfather didn't have any files there. 

Voltaire stood proud and grim behind his desk. Kai sat down opposite to him. 

"Do you realize just how disturbed your friend is?" Voltaire started out by asking. 

Kai kept silent. There was only one friend he had who had any connection to this warlord, and only one friend was… okay, so maybe more than one friend was disturbed. But still, he knew his grandfather was talking about Shadra. 

"You couldn't believe how much," Voltaire continued. "Doesn't care about her friends, her family, her dead mother… All she care's about is pleasing me." 

"Perverted old man," Kai mumbled, but Voltaire still heard it. 

"I am not some pedophile, grandson, you most definitely know what I mean." 

"So why are you telling me this?" Kai asked. "To see my expression, beat me mentally, brag." 

"I'm telling you because you have the power to make it stop." 

Eh? 

"We'll release her from our program at your say so," Voltaire said. "But there's a price." 

"What is it?" 

"You take her place." 

Kai stayed silent. So all of this was just so he would join his grandfather's little team. Shadra wasn't the only one who was disturbed. 

"You'll save your friend, and, under Biovolt's training program, you'll become the best. You'll become perfect."

* * *

Enrique lied on his back, staring up at his bedroom's ceiling. His father had finally moved out that morning. The house was quiet for once. No screaming, no yelling, no breaking objects. He only wished this could last. 

The phone rang on his night stand. He automatically picked the receiver up, tossed it into the air, then caught it with his other hand and held it up to his ear. 

"Yo?" he greeted. 

"Enrique." 

"Carly. What's up?" She still sounded distraught, which sent a pang into his stomach. He had been more worried about his parents' divorce than her parent's death. 

"Before the funeral, something happened and I didn't think it was appropriate to tell you at-at…" 

"Yeah?" Enrique sort of interrupted, trying to get her mind off the event. He had gone to the funeral, he had liked her stepmother, and so had Mariah (though he was sure some convincing had happened), Rei, Oliver and even Kai. 

"Dad and Shadra got into a fight before. He said that if she didn't quit her team, she'd have to move out of the house." 

"She didn't… did she?" 

"Yeah." 

"Yeah she did or yeah she didn't?" 

"Yeah she did." 

Enrique took a moment to process the information. Shadra had changed so much… He hadn't even seen her at her only living-Er, her last living blood relative's funeral. Her own mother. 

"We don't know where she is. She didn't even bother. Just packed up a few things and left." 

"Uh Carly, can I call you back? I should pass this down the grapevine and all. But as soon as I am I promise to call you back!" 

"Mmm-hmm." 

"Thanks."

* * *

"What!" Mariah shrieked. Enrique winced. She had been the first name to come to her mind, since Mariah felt she and Shadra were archenemies. He had no idea what Shadra thought about this. 

"She moved out of her house when her stepfather told her to quit the team." 

"I know what you said. Could you excuse me? I have to tell my inside informant." 

Enrique sweat dropped. "Yeah, and I have to call Carly back." 

They hung up on each other. 

Mariah immediately dialed Kai's number. She leaned back against her wall, listening to the dial tone. After twenty-eight rings, she hang up. If that guy was so rich, why couldn't he afford to have an answering machine? She'd just have to try again later.

* * *

There was a ringing in the background, Kai thought. He ignored it. His grandfather was waiting for an answer. Eventually it stops ringing. 

"So what is your final response?" Voltaire asked. 

Easy access to the files, a voice in his head said. He was sure it wasn't his own, because it sounded kind of high for his voice. Shadra can go free. But, what if—Moron, just say yes! 

"Yes," Kai said. 

Kai grew increasingly uncomfortable and regretful as Voltaire's grin developed into some twisted satanic object. Mariah definitely owed him one.

* * *

"So aren't you going to ask how the date went?" Miriam asked. She was sitting across from Kenny in a both at Gary's family's restaurant. They had just ordered and so far, they had only talked about school. 

"How did it go?" he asked. 

"Great!" Miriam exclaimed, drawing on the attention of the rest of the restaurant's attention and many loud shushes. She continued quieter. "Plus, I convinced Emily's crowd to go so she was there and saw the whole thing. She's probably sitting at home crying about it. So gimme, gimme, gimme." 

He pulled out a copy of his Physics notes and handed it to her. Smiling, she slid it into her bag. 

"Pleasure doing business with you!" More shushes and a few wary glances.

* * *

Shadra was training in the weight room alone. The three boys had gone to run on the track. She'd stayed behind because she still wanted to work her lower back. 

Boris walked up to her on the machine. She glared up at him, then sat up straight on the machine, stopping the exercise. 

"There has been a change in plans," Boris said. 

"What kind of change, sir?" she asked, wary. 

"You will not be battling with Black Dranzer." 

"What!" 

"We decided that our new member would be more appropriate for the bit-beast." 

She stood up and swung her leg over so that she was standing beside the weight machine. "Who?" 

"I believe you know him." 

"Who?" she demanded, her voice louder. 

Boris tensed; ready to move incase she tried something stupid. "Kai Hiwatari." 

"What?" 

"Our sponsor's grandson and a better beyblader than you. The team can benefit more if a skilled blader used Black Dranzer." 

She growled. Of course, it would be Hiwatari. He always figured out someway to screw her. But if he thought she'd just roll over, well, he better not underestimate her.

* * *

The next day, Monday, Kai came for the morning practice. The four boys were changing into their workout clothes, the three Russian boys ignoring Kai and vice versus. 

A few minutes later, Shadra walked into the room and went to her locker, giving the cold shoulder to Kai. She hadn't even asked why he was there. He looked at her. She wasn't clearing out her locker but changing! He looked away. No reason he should watch her change. But what gives? 

They would've told her yesterday if she were cut. Keyword: if. Apparently, his grandfather hadn't held up his side of the bargain. 

But Kai could still make it work. He was in the base. He was in the loop. He'd find out what was wrong with her.

* * *

Tyson, Max and Rei waited diligently in the beyblade training room at their school for their captain. Practice had been supposed to start a half hour ago, so that they could get a full hour's training in before school started. 

"And he complains about me being late?" Tyson said, groaning, and leaning back on the bench. "He seems to need that lecture more than me!" 

"No, you still need it more than he does," Max said. "Otherwise, we'd never get you up in the morning." 

"Maybe he's sick," Rei said. "Mariah said she couldn't get a hold of him yesterday." 

"Like the sourpuss ever gets sick," Tyson grumbled under his breath. 

"It kinda gets you down how bad Shadra's become," Max said. "Once a happy go lucky kid, then…" 

"Don't worry Max. If you ever get that way, I'll shoot you," Rei said. 

Tyson had jumped up, and was stomping a tiny imaginary Kai while he grumbled, "Get up, Tyson! It's only two in the morning, Tyson! Stop eating, Tyson! You're as big as a blimp, Tyson! Why can't you be mean and emotionless and suck the fun out of everything, Tyson!" 

"Aww, thanks Rei," Max said. 

"No problem." 

"But won't you get caught?" 

"I'll make it look like a suicide." 

Tyson reduced to just yelling, "Die, evil boy, die!" as he stomped his captain to smithereens. 

The door to the training room clanged loudly as it shut. All three boys looked up expecting to see their sort of beloved captain, but it was only their sort of beloved teacher supervisor, Mr. Dickinson, who was also the school principal. 

The old man looked grim as he walked to where the three boys were. He leaned on his cane, his old age starting to appear, and his other hand clutched his hat in his hand held above his chest. 

"What's up, Mr. D?" Tyson asked. Rei and Max stood up to stand on either side of their friend. 

"I have some bad news, boys," Mr. Dickinson said. "It's about Kai." 

The boys gasped, waiting anxiously for the news. 

"This morning I received a call from Mr. Boris, the teacher advisor for the Demolition Boys. He informed me that he had sent the proper forms to the IHS Beyblade headquarters, filing for the transfer of Kai to his team." 

"They can't do that!" Tyson exclaimed. 

"What do they need Kai for? They already have four members!" Rei added. 

"Mr. Boris can, with the consent of Kai, which apparently Kai had willingly given." 

"No way," Tyson said. The other two boys were speechless. 

"We have until the Finals' registration to find a fourth member," Mr. Dickinson informed them. "Which will be tricky because it is only a month away." 

"There's no good beybladers left! Except for the blader that the Demolition Boys kicked off, which will probably won't be," Rei said. 

"This is so not fair," Tyson said, punching the air. 

"I know, but we have no choice. Otherwise, we'll forfeit." 

"Kai…" Rei whispered. "You stupid bugger." 

_To be continued..._


	12. Memories Are Forever, Mostly

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 12 - Memories Are Forever, Mostly 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

Kai, Shadra, Tala, Spencer, and Bryan were already sitting in Math class before another single soul had entered. Kai, the total outsider, had to endure the other four's hushed conversation several feet from him. There was no way he could overhear and make it look natural. 

He sighed and pulled out the sheet that Boris had given him before they had arrived at the school. The correct answers to the homework he had assigned. So this was why Shadra had suddenly become such a good student while training so many hours. He bet that it was the same in all of the other classes. 

Suddenly, Rei, Tyson, Max and Kenny walked in through the door. They took one look at him and they looked extremely pissed. Kai tensed. 

"So what's your excuse, Kai!" Tyson yelled, slamming his hands on Kai's desk. "Are we not good enough for you? Or do you hate us that much?" 

"I…" Kai felt the eyes of the Demolition Boys on his back. They were listening. He closed his eyes and smirked. "Is there a third choice, 'all of the above'?" 

Tyson was choking on his fury. For once, he couldn't speak. 

"Kai, this is the lowest thing you've ever done," Rei said. 

"Yeah," Max said. 

"We thought you were one of us," Kenny added. 

"One of you? Keh, I'd have to be run over by a steamroller to be like you." 

"So why don't you piss off and play with your wittle beyblades," Tala said, smirking, as the four walked up to back Kai up. 

The Bladebreakers turned around and retreated across the room. They were angry at him. He wished he could tell, but with the Demolition Boys behind him, and the fact that they'd probably blurt it out, it was too risky.

* * *

By the last period of the morning, everyone knew of Kai's betrayal. Wherever he went, people whispered to their neighbor about it, snickering, making cruel remarks about him. A few times he felt like cracking down, all the hate was just too much. But the Demolition Boys had stood by him. In some strange way, it was the kind of camaraderie that the Bladebreakers usually exhibited. 

But he had to tell someone. And he knew exactly who. 

The Demolition Boys had gone off to the cafeteria to eat, while Kai claimed he had to grab a book from the library. Now was his chance. 

He quickly located Mariah coming out of the girls bathroom, alone. He quickly walked up to her, grabbed her arm, and hustled her to the deserted library. He wasn't completely lying after all. 

"What?" Mariah asked as soon as Kai shut the library door. 

"I'm a spy," Kai said. 

"What?" 

"A spy in Biovolt." 

"You're spying for Biovolt?" 

"No, spying _on_ Biovolt." 

Mariah paused, probably letting it all sink in. 

"So that's why…" 

"Yeah." 

"You have to tell Rei and the others!" 

"No." 

"But—" 

"The less people who know, the better. Only you and me know, and it stays that way." 

"Then why tell me?" 

"So at least one person doesn't hate me." 

Mariah nodded. He mentally sighed in relief. She understood. "So what have you found out?" she asked. 

Kai told her all about the secret training base underneath Boris' house. 

"Holy crap," Mariah swore. He nearly smiled at Mariah's out of character-ness. "Well, now we know why they don't train in here." 

"The data from the last tournament is obsolete," Kai said. "They've improved, and not in a minor way." 

"Can you get some newer data?" Mariah asked. 

"I'll try," Kai said. "I'll also try and get information on some experiments that Boris has been preoccupied with." 

"Experiments?" Mariah asked. "What kind of experiments?" 

"I don't know. But they seem rather important." 

"And I'll ask Emily and Kenny if they can hack into the Biovolt computer system," Mariah said. "But how will we keep in touch? With the Demolition Boys tailing you and Rei so mad at you…" 

"We'll leave notes," Kai said. "In…" Kai looked across the bookshelf. "Ten Habits For Highly Effective Teens. Nobody will find it." 

"We're like a secret rebel organization plotting to take down the government," Mariah said. "Like in that Social Studies movie." 

"Uh… Yeah, sure." He didn't completely disagree. Infiltration, secret communication, hacking, it all rather fit. 

"So until next time," Mariah said and disappeared out of the library. Kai decided he better meet up with the D-Boys.

* * *

"Kai, hold on a second," Boris said as the Demolition Boys exited the locker room. Without even a glance back, the other team members continued. Camaraderie in public, but in privacy it was a whole different story. 

Kai turned around to face the teacher advisor with a glare. 

"You won't be beyblading with Dranzer," Boris said. 

Kai looked at Boris with a mixture of surprise and questioning, and his cold bored look. His bit-beast had helped him through so many battles, and gave him an extra edge above other bladers like Tyson. 

"You'll be blading with this," Boris said, holding up a black beyblade trimmed with green. He didn't even need to look down at his own beyblade to realise it. They were practically the same, except for the blue was swapped for black and the other beyblade looked more balanced, more powerful. More perfect. 

A bastardized version of his Dranzer was etched onto the bit. Heh, a copy, Kai thought. But no mere clone could beat his proud phoenix. 

Boris held it out for Kai to take. Kai took a small step back. 

"Just touch it, and then decide." 

What could be the harm? Kai reached out and took the black beybade from Boris. 

_A five-year-old Kai sat against the dungy stone wall of an Abbey in Russia. He was curled over, his eyes hidden, a drop of blood slipping along his brow to fall down to the dirt floor. A hand trembled in a feeble effort to raise it, but it only slid into the crimson mud. _

Dozens of boys stood in line, each standing as straight as they could manage. One boy at the end of the line slumped, and a uniform-wearing man lashed him with his whip. 

Eight boys, little Kai included, tried desperately to hold onto a few metal bars across the ceiling over a pit of poisonous snakes. 

Young Kai, excitedly watching the lab below with his hands against the window panes, as a black beyblade shot around the large beydish, smashing the other beyblades to tiny pieces with out so much as trying. 

Kai sneaking into the lab, and grabbed the black beyblade from the computerized rifle launcher. "You're mine," he said, as he placed it into his own launcher. He pulled the rip cord, but instead of flying out into the dish, the beyblade just hung there. A precious second went by before a blue glow enveloped the beyblade. The orb grew bigger until it exploded! 

Kai gasped. He tried to calm his breathing, but the erratic beat wouldn't be slowed. His memories… He remembered them! He remembered his childhood before he lived in Japan, before he moved to Hieville. Where he grew up, what games he didn't play, the other kids that he had known. 

But more importantly, he remembered the dark phoenix. 

"So will you use this beyblade?" he heard Boris ask as if from behind a vale. 

Kai smirked. "Yes." 

Boris smiled. Shadra had had the exact same reaction. Plus he unexpectedly regained his memories from when he trained with Boris. Now Kai knew where he belonged. He walked away to overview the other boys' training. 

"You're mine, Black Dranzer," Kai whispered. 

Shadra watched from around the corner. She'd get back her phoenix from that undeserving fool.

* * *

Shadra watched as Kai finally came to train with the team. For the past two weeks, the two-toned haired blader had worked in the secret room Shadra had had, but this time it wasn't so secret. Two teammates knew this time, and two teammates knew what that bit-beast was capable of. 

For the past two weeks, she had had to endure Kai's grubby hands all over her dark phoenix, watch him taint her precious bit-beast with his unworthiness. Her poor phoenix crying out to her in her sleep, and it was horrible to wake up knowing she couldn't do anything… yet. But today was different. Today she would get back her Black Dranzer. 

"Kai," she said from behind, startling him. The black beyblade spun around the dish. The other three Demolition Boys glanced over, interested at what she was going to say to her replacement. "I challenge you to a beybattle." 

Kai turned around and snickered. "You must be joking." 

"I'm not laughing," she said, both her voice and her gaze solid. "Winner gets to keep Black Dranzer." 

Kai started. "How did you know about it? Nobody knows." 

She strengthened her glare. "He's mine," she said. 

Kai smirked, closing his eyes. If he had been an emotional beyblader, he'd be laughing out loud right about then. Hilarious, the thought that Shadra could even concieve to consider the black phoenix as hers. "Then why do I have it?" 

"Because Boris is an idiot. He thought that you actually could handle him." 

"I think I've been handling him just fine. He needs a strong beyblader, unlike you." 

"Then what are you afraid of? Let's battle." 

Kai paused. Being down here must have fried her brain. No way could she, bit-beastless, take on both Kai and Black Dranzer. Over in six seconds, including launch time. Boring. But maybe he could make it interesting. "I'll even give you a chance by not using Black Dranzer," Kai said, and flipped the bit out, replacing it with a regular one. 

"As you wish," Shadra said. 

The two stepped up to the beydish, each on opposite sides. The other Demolition Boys ceased their training to watch. One didn't see this everyday. The two launched. 

"Who's gonna win?" Bryan asked his captain. 

Tala closed his eyes. "They're evenly matched. In both skill and desire." 

_Thought you'd take my name out You forgot about my home game   
Thought you'd take me down, sucker Take me down so here we go_

The two black beyblades circled each other. The only way to tell whose was whose was by the trim, Shadra's being red and Kai's being green. Barely noticeable when the two blades were spinning. 

"Attack!" Kai called. His beyblade thrust forward at Shadra's, but the black and red beyblade dodged. 

"Is that all you've got?" Shadra asked. "This is beyond easy." 

_Thought you'd take me down You forgot about my old school   
If you want to teach me something new You'd better teach you something_

Shadra assailed the black and green beyblade with a few powerful rapid-fire hits. Kai's beyblade fell back under the blows, but the black and red beyblade wasn't going to show any mercy. It kept on delivering the powerful and quick hits without a single hesitation. 

Kai growled. With all the force that he could muster, he pushed back against the black and red beyblade. Shadra's blade bounced back, seeing as the offence offered little defense. 

_Swing Down, Swing Low   
If you gonna better me   
Swing Down, Swing Low   
Let it rip Beyblade!_

Shadra's blade slammed back against Kai's, but Kai was able to hold his ground. Sparks flew everywhere as the two beyblades sawed on each other. 

Boris stood at the door, unnoticed. The arrogance of that little brat Kai… The blatant disobedience of Shadra… The blood in his veins was boiling. He would've thrown both of them into 'detention' if he hadn't been so interested in discovering which one was truly superior. 

_Thought you'd take my name out You forgot about my home game   
Thought you'd take me down, sucker, Take me down to a whole new game_

Shadra's blade retreated. Kai relaxed, only for a split second, and bam! The black and red beyblade shot at his with great speed, which carried through to force. The beyblade was thrown through the air, and fell, by two centimeters, out of bounds. 

Shadra had won. 

"Time to give up Black Dranzer," Shadra said, gloating a bit. Long ago, she would have been ecstatic to beat him, but now she expected the win. 

Hmmm, this was definitely interesting, Boris thought. Maybe Shadra deserved the spot on the team more than Kai. Another victory notch for the experiment. 

_To be continued..._


	13. No Secrets

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 13 - No Secrets 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

Kai crept into Boris' office while the others fawned over Shadra. His first defeat, and to her! The girl who could barely blade with the freshmen. She had driven a sword through his chest. He wished. It would be less painful. 

He knew something that would make him feel better. He booted up Boris' computer. Finding out how Shadra could have improved so much in so little time would help. 

Keh, stupid man, he hadn't even programmed a password. Boris must have relied on his authority before. That only works on his lame-brain slaves, Kai thought to himself and smirked. 

He searched around the hard drives, looking for anything that could be helpful. Beside the computer were a few plastic cases of floppy disks, which he used to find a few empty disks. He also pocketed any that looked interesting. 

Ah! Something good. He popped a disk in and copied it on. A few other documents recieved the same treatment. He didn't have too much time, he couldn't go through the documents. Boris would soon notice he was missing. 

Once he had a few more floppy disks filled and other helpful documents weren't being found, he shut down the computer. Stuffing the disks into his pocket, he wrote a quick note and made his great escape. 

Boris would later enter to find 'I quit' written on his computer screen with permanent marker.

* * *

Kai and Mariah sat in her room on her bed. They looked through the files from the training base, the hack-info that Emily and Kenny had procured, and the information Mariah had discovered. 

"And Kenny and Emily were all cuddly," Mariah said, flipping the page on a hard copy. 

Kai kept silent and kept on skimming the material on the laptop. What the two geeks did was none of his business. 

"And Max is so depressed because of that, and you know, you." 

"This'll make him happy," Kai answered. 

"Sure, it was the good kind of betrayal." She shook her head. "You're really going to have to prove something to them." 

"What about all this?" 

"It's a start." 

Kai sighed. A new light shone on his newly found childhood memories. It hadn't matter if you betrayed someone, because they didn't trust you to start out with. 

"Okay, is it just my impression, or are things starting to get very bad?" 

Kai grunted. "Never happened before, especially not here." 

"Look at his," Mariah pointed onto her page. Kai leaned over. 

Someone burst through the door, making the two look up. "Don't touch her, you dirty fiend!" Rei yelled, full of rage, his fangs bared and his pupils mere slits. Kai jumped away, more from surprise than actual feeling threatrened. Like he would even touch her that way! Maybe Rei but… Dammit! One good thing about being on the Demolition Boys was the thoughts had stopped. Argh! 

"Rei!" Mariah exclaimed. "It's not--!" 

"What it looks like! 'Cause it looks a lot like that bastard is taking advantage of you! And doing… paperwork," he wound down, taking a look at the stacks of floppy disks and paper hard copies. 

"Kai only pretended to be on the D-Boys' team so he could get information." 

Rei looked confused. "What?" 

"It's true. He didn't want to tell you guys because you might, well…" 

"Give it away," Kai finished. 

"But—" 

"You would have acted differently, and they would have picked up on it," Kai interrupted. 

"Rei, things just aren't good," Mariah said. "Shadra, Tala, Bryan, Spencer… They're in a bad situation. Really bad." 

"So we're going to talk to Mr. Dickinson," Kai said. 

"Okay, then let's go," Rei said. "And you will tell me sometime what's going on, right?" 

They nodded.

* * *

Shadra stood at the beydish, the other three Demolition Boys standing other side. Boris was over by the wall. She clutched the beyblade tighter in her palm. Black Dranzer was right back where he should be. 

She closed her eyes, leaning her head down and to the side a touch, and smirked. "You want to see the awesome power of Black Dranzer, don't you?" 

Tala's looked down his nose at her. "Yes," he said. 

Her eyes snapped open, and she looked straight at them. "Then I challenge you to a beybattle! All three of you at once." 

"You're nuts," Bryan laughed. "We could cream you before your precious beyblade even hits the dish." 

"Then why are you refusing when you're so sure of victory?" 

The other Demolition Boys faltered. "Fine, have it your way," Tala said finally. 

Boris walked up to the dish, ready to act as referee. He'd been waiting for the day when he could show off his new creation and her power to the boys. He held out his hand like a starter. "Three… Two… One… Let it rip!" 

The four launched simultaneously. Wolborg and Seaborg took to the right, while Falborg took to the left, trapping Black Dranzer in the center. They took turns delivering blows, wobbling the black beyblade. 

"Case point," Tala said. 

Shadra just smirked, wrapping her arms against her chest. She looked evenly at her opponents and laughed. They looked up, away from the beybattle. 

"What's so funny?" Bryan snarled. 

"This," she said, while Black Dranzer crashed into Seaborg, sending him out of the dish. The boys only looked down in time to see the whale's flight. 

Tala and Bryan glared harder. She had distracted them, and they had suffered. But they wouldn't make that mistake twice. Spencer fetched his fallen beyblade. 

"Falborg!" Bryan called. The great wind spirit rose from its bit in a gale of wind. Then it flew straight for the girl. She didn't so much as blink as the transparent bit-beast hurtled towards her. A flash of black erupted, shielding her from the wind's impact. 

_Always begin the game and keep going   
Nobody said that life would be fair_

The wind calmed, and the black translucent shield morphed into a great dark phoenix, towering over them. Tala took an involuntary step back, looking up at the huge beast. 

"Black Dranzer!" Shadra called. "Dark Pyre Attack!" 

Black Dranzer dived onto its enemies' beyblades. The ground seemed to catch fire and burned all around the beyblades, its fiery tongues licking at their attack rings. The only hope the two had of surviving the fire had been knocked out of the dish first. 

"Forward!" Tala commanded. Wolborg crept forward, the fire acting like molasses, but he managed to escape the flames. Falborg wasn't so lucky. He had used most of his strength on that one failed attack, and he had slowed to a stop. 

_Always begin the game and keep going   
Step up; get in the ring if you dare _

Black Dranzer's attack faded away leaving black burn marks along the plastic. 

"Wolborg!" Tala called. The giant white wolf appeared. Wolborg was nearly as big as Black Dranzer! The spectators looked up in awe of the two giant yin-yang bit-beasts, and stepped away to allow more room for the fight. 

"Attack!" A blizzard appeared out of nowhere, it's fatal winds sending the snow into Black Dranzer. The dark phoenix just hung there, suspended in air as the snow beat harmlessly against it. 

"Now, my phoenix!" Black Drunzer flew straight as an arrow at Wolborg. The great white wolf was unable to dodge the tackle, and consequently wounded enough to dissipate. One final blow from the black beyblade sent the wolf beyblade out of the dish. 

_Always begin the game and keep going   
Nobody said that life would be fair_

"And the winner is Shadra!" Boris announced. 

"Hmph, you sound surprised."

* * *

"What the hell is _he_ doing here?" Tyson yelled, pointing at Kai. Max, Kenny and Emily stood by their friend. 

Mariah, Rei, and Kai sat beside Mr. Dickinson at his desk. Dick sat across from them with the Bladebreakers and friend behind him. 

"Hey, what's going on?" Kenny asked, noticing the others' grim faces. 

"Please sit down," Mr. Dickinson said. They obeyed. 

"These two," Mr. Dickinson motioned to Mariah and Kai, "With the help of Emily and Kenny have discovered a rather disturbing plot." 

"And why exactly am I here, Stanley?" Dick asked. He felt rather out of place among the child beybladers. 

"Because it involves you. It involves all of us." Mr. Dickinson paused. "Twenty years ago, an Abbey in Russia was renovated into a school for beybladers. Or so the students' parents thought. In reality, it was a program funded by Biovolt Corporation to test their experiments on suitable candidates. 

"We don't know exactly what their goals were, but we believe it was to create and train the perfect warrior. They developed training programs designed specifically for this, often torturous. The candidates were rendered emotionless and sadistic, but very powerful. 

"To test their warriors, they created a team to compete in the Russian beyblade circuit called Neo Borg. They were the national champions for thirteen years running. 

"A year ago, a Neo Borg member brought to the police's attention evidence of the Abbey's violation of federal laws. With that, team Neo Borg and the Abbey disappeared from Russia. Of course, Biovolt wasn't charged because it had merely funded the Abbey, not run it." 

"Why tell us this?" Dick asked. "That's done, it's over." 

"Because the head of the Abbey was Balkov Boris." 

A collective gasp went through the room. 

"With our new information, we believe Boris has began a new Neo Borg, which we all know as the Demolition Boys. We also believe that Boris is once again running illegal experiments." 

They were afraid to ask. But Kenny, the least expected of all of them, piped up. "Like what?" 

"A behavior modification chip." 

"Huh?" Tyson grunted. 

"It is a computer chip is embedded into the brain, changing the mental processes, the thinking pattern, of the person. With just that, someone could change a person's total behavior to whatever they please." 

"Shadra…" Dick said. 

Mr. Dickinson nodded. "From the data we have, it looks like the chip isn't removable without serious brain damage. The best we can hope for is that the chip malfunctions harmlessly and the brain can return to its normal thinking pattern." 

"And the worse?" Dick asked, his voice low. 

"Well, I like to think that the worse is that the person stays the same, but we can try our own sort of behavior modification, the traditional way. But that's only if we can obtain her," Mr. Dickinson said. "Please don't sue the school." 

"What do you mean, if we can obtain her?" Dick asked. 

"If Boris finds out all that we know, then he could run for it along with the Demolition Boys." 

"Then we'll get him arrested," Tyson said. 

"We don't have enough incriminating evidence… yet. That's where you boys come in." 

"How?" Max asked. 

"By winning the Finals." 

"We don't have a fourth member!" Tyson exclaimed. 

"And how would that help?" Kenny asked. 

"Kai is." Mr. Dickinson ignored Kenny's question. 

"But—" 

"Kai was only pretending to be on the other team to gain information and to find out how good they really are," Rei said, feeling a bit proud that he knew before they did. 

"The news isn't good," Kai said. 

"No, it isn't. Boris has somehow procured a more powerful version of Dranzer, a darker version they call Black Dranzer." 

Tyson snorted. "Well that was original." 

"There's nothing funny about Black Dranzer," Kai snarled. "It's merciless and vicious. It has depths deeper than any bit-beast we have faced. It's greatest power is that it is as strong as its beyblader. And Shadra is strong. The silly girl you once knew has been replaced by a stronger, disciplined, and emotionless warrior." 

"Wow Kai, I think that's the most you've ever said." 

_To be continued..._


	14. Evolution

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 14 - Evolution 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

Boris walked upstairs in the Victorian house, ready to meet sweet slumber. Instead, he found Shadra, pacing back and forth in the hall, Black Dranzer clutched in her hand. 

"Go to bed," he ordered. Why wasn't she already? He had sent his team an hour and a half ago. 

"Can't sleep," she said, not even missing a beat in her pace. 

"Then go in your room," he said sharply. 

"They kicked me out," she said, still in her ever-quick rhythm. 

He sighed, placing his index and thumb onto the bridge of his nose. He wasn't awake enough to punish her. "What's wrong?" 

"Black Dranzer, he's… he's…" 

"It's what?" 

"That's just it! I don't know," she said, waving her hands in the air as she walked on. "He's pressing on my mind, restless, wanting something…" 

"He just wants some bit-beasts," Boris said, trying to hide a yawn. The beybattle that day against actual bit-beasts must have awakened the hunger. 

This stopped her in her tracks. "Huh?" 

"Black Dranzer's birdseed is bit-beasts. He… devours them, for lack of a better word. Uses their energy, their power." 

"How?" 

"You defeat a beyblader with a bit-beast, demand your prize, and Black Dranzer will drag the bugger into its bit. Now go... to... bed," Boris ordered. This time, she obeyed.

* * *

Max and the other Bladebreakers were sweating furiously as Kai continued to drill them. The blonde boy didn't think he could even move, much less accomplish another push-up. 

He slumped unto the ground, quickly followed by Tyson, then Rei. 

"Sanctuary! Sanctuary!" Tyson moaned. 

"Get up!" Kai snapped. "How can you even dream of facing the Demolition Boys when you can't even last through this?" . 

"But--but!" 

"No buts, Tyson!" 

"You'll kill us! And what good are we if we're dead!" 

Kai grunted. The boy did have a point. "Fine, five minute break. But then we'll train for five minutes more." 

"Deal," Tyson said happily. 

Max watched as Miriam walked past the open door. He frowned. Now would be a good time to ask her. 

Somehow he managed to get up and catch up to her. 

"Miriam, hold up!" Max said as his muscles forced him to stop and pant. 

Miriam stopped and turned. "What's up?" 

"Why?" He panted some more, trying to slow his breathing. 

"Umm… Why what?" 

"Why did you ask me to the movies?" 

She put her hands on her hips. "Because I really like you, stupid." 

"No, why really?" 

She sighed, dropping her hands. "Kenny asked me to—but I really enjoyed our date!" 

Max fumed. His own friend had betrayed him, and much, much more personally than Kai had. He felt a hand placed on his shoulder, and looked up. 

"Don't be too mad at him. I probably would've asked you out anyway," Miriam said. Then she got a bit sniffy; "You do like me, right?" 

"Of course I do—" 

"Great! Then how about dinner at Oliver's restaurant?" 

"Uh—" 

"Fantastic! See ya there!" She turned, smiling as she made her great escape. 

Max sighed. If the two got serious, would asking the other out always be this way? Miriam asking and then running away before he could reply? He turned back to Kai's new and improved torture training.

* * *

Emily walked home from school as the sun set. She felt good about the new technology that she and Kenny had developed. Whatever the Demolition Boys threw in their way, they'd be able to counter it. 

A shiver went up Emily's spine. Kind of like she was being watched. She glanced over her shoulder. No one there. She took another couple steps, and was rewarded by a crack of a twig. 

She spun around as quick as she could, catching no one. But she was sure that something was out there. "Come out, whoever you are!" 

A figure obliged, stepping out of the shadows. 

"What do you want, Shadra?" Emily demanded. 

The black haired girl smiled. "Just a friendly beybattle between me and you." 

Emily narrowed her eyes. "What's the catch?" 

"That you get to see how powerful I really am. I know Hiwatari went squealing to you after he lost to me." 

"Kai lost?" 

Shadra smirked. "Guess he was too humiliated to tell you, but yes, he did lose. He lost horribly." 

"And now you want to battle me," Emily said. 

"What are you, the narrator? Like Duh. But jeez, if you really think you're not good enough…" 

"I am," Emily said flatly, taking a step forward. 

"Prove it." 

Emily felt like growling. "Fine then. I accept your challenge." 

Shadra smiled. And it was in the 'I'm happy and I want to show it' way, but much, much darker. Like, 'I'm happy because I'm going to rip you apart piece by piece.' Emily involuntarily shuddered. 

"Fantastic," Shadra said as she fell into launching position. 

"Here?" Emily asked, glacing around the alley. 

"Yes. Got a problem with that?" 

Emily shook her head and grabbed her racket launcher out of her bag, beyblade already attached. She held it in ready position. 

"Three!" they both yelled, as no one else was around to start them. "Two! One! Let it rip!" 

_Here comes the heavy weight generation beyblade_

The two beyblades flashed as they hit the ground. 

_Spinning in motion, causing a commotion_

They circled each other, wary. Then, the black beyblade attacked, sending the orange one bouncing back. The dark phoenix tried again, but Trygator was ready and managed to escape. In Trigator's momentum, it ran horizontally along a fence, with the black beyblade chasing it. The orange beyblade jumped down before the larger end post, but Black Dranzer wasn't quick enough to avoid that fate. It fell head over heel several times, before hitting the ground. Unfortunately for Emily, it stood evenly on its heel, still spinning proudly. 

_Like a whirlwind we keep on winning   
We're taking them out with the beyblade spinning_

"Trygator attack!" Emily called. The orange crocodile bit-beast appeared in a blaze of light. Her beyblade smashed into Shadra's black one. 

Shadra closed her eyes, her head tilted down and a smile playing across her lips. 

"Not wasting any time, eh? Fine, then," Shadra said. "Black Dranzer!" 

Emily tensed. Now she would see the bit-beast that the fearless team captain was afraid of! 

_Hitting like a hurricane   
Blowing everyone away _

Instead of a blaze of light, the best Emily could describe it was an explosion of darkness. Not just around the beyblade, but around the whole fight! A black and red phoenix emerged from the blackness, shrieking its battlecry. 

Emily had to step back to see it all, the creature was so huge! The mighty dark phoenix spread its wing, and crying again a deadly song. It lunged down. 

_Pounding like thunder   
We're gonna pull 'em under!_

The redhead quickly shook the awe out of her head. Now was not the time for staring, it was a time for battle! "Water Smash Attack!" 

"Fire Arrows!" Shadra cried out. 

_Here comes victory   
Generation Beyblade_

The two elements flung against their opponent. Steam rose at their collision, obscuring the bladers' views. Who would be victorious? 

Flames burst around the water, and rushed at Trygator, surrounding the alligator. The reptile burst into tiny pixilated pieces, returning to its bit and leaving the beyblade defenseless. The black beyblade needed only one hit to put the orange beyblade into full stop. 

_Beyblade just keeps on rippin' yeah!!!! _

Shadra grabbed up her beyblade, while Emily stood their stunned. How could fire have beaten water? Water was fire's weakness. 

The black-haired blader held her black phoenix beyblade high in the air. "Now for my prize," Shadra announced. "Your bit-beast!" 

Emily gasped as her orange bit-beast rose unbidden from its bit and was pulled right into Black Dranzer's bit. Shadra smiled, looking down at her beyblade. Her style had evolved into the next level. The darkness immediately cleared, and Shadra left the street. Emily just stood there, transfixed by her empty beyblade.

* * *

Kai took his break in the empty teacher's lounge. No, not the break that his teammates had forced him to call, but the one he had given himself while they suffered the many push-ups he had ordered. 

He didn't feel bad about it. Kai trained hard all year long. Besides, the final roster for the Finals was being announced on the local sports channel. 

After a few commercials, the same fake woman who had informed him about his grandfather's connection with the Demolition Boys was on with the roster. 

"Number four on the list is the Bladebreakers, currently undefeated this season and of Hieville Collegiate. Competing will be Tyson, Rei, Max and team captain and substitute, Kai." 

Well, that was obvious. The official team picture was placed on the screen. 

"Number three happens to be Team M of Lawrence Technical School. On their official roster are team captain Holly, Iayah, Yuki, and substitute Alleon." 

Kai grabbed his notebook and jotted the names down. He'd have to get Kenny to do some research. The two teams hadn't ever encountered each other. 

"The Majestics are number two, again from Hieville Collegiate, with team captain Robert, Johnny, Enrique and substitute Oliver." 

Majestics, easy enough to beat. After all, the skills of all teams in Hieville were well-known amongst themselves. Except for the Demolition Boys. 

"And finally, number one. If you've followed any of the action on the IHS Beyblade circuit, you've probably already guessed which team this is. The Demolition Boys have made quit a name for themselves, winning many titles. Number one team is first, with breaking the record for the best season for a new team, the record for the most tournaments won, and they are completely undefeated. Blading for this team will be Shadra, Bryan, Spencer, and the team captain who's also the official substitute, Tala." 

The photo flashed on screen, all the bladers looking confident and cold. How could they have fans? They seemed more likely to bite than autograph. Of course, Kai himself was that way and yet he had been asked a few times... 

"Hieville Collegiate seems to be the place for aspiring beybladers to attend, since they have broken the record this year with most teams attending the Finals. So if you're a parent living through their beyblading child, Hieville might be the town you'd like to move to." 

Kai turned the TV off.

* * *

Tala walked silently into the training base's operation room. Today was the final stage; today he would evolve into the perfect warrior.

* * *

Emily finished sobbing out her story of defeat. The Bladebreakers were unusually grim. Or at least that's the way it used to be, unusual. Now not a minute passed where they didn't feel the weight on their shoulders. 

"Now they're stealing bit-beasts!" Tyson said, outraged. "That's below low. That's… that's… just plain wrong." 

"We know, Tyson," Max said, trying to calm his friend down. The blonde haired boy looked strange, since his usual perky expression was replaced by depression and marred by the glares that were sent Kenny's way, who hugged his new girlfriend Emily. 

"So now we not only have to worry about losing Shadra forever and just plain losing, but we also have to worry about our bit-beasts being stolen?" Rei asked. "That is so unfair." 

"Unfair or not, we're still prepared," Kenny said, leaving the embrace to look at the beybladers of their team. "We know now what they're capable of. And we have your new and improved beyblades." 

"That's right!" Emily gasped, her expression lightening. "Kenny and I worked hard on them. With the power of your bit-beasts, these blades will give you the extra edge." 

Kenny brought out a silver case; it's clasps facing the beybladers. "Meet the Evolution Series," Kenny said as he opened the case. 

The beybladers looked down at their new beyblades. They looked pretty much the same, but with a few high-tech colors on them. 

"Uh… Kenny, these are like our old ones," Tyson said, with a huge sweat drop, which was mirrored by his teammates. 

"They may look the same, but there are key subtleties," Kenny said. "Mostly in the inner design." 

"We won't bore you with the science behind them, just try them out," Emily prompted. 

Kai, Max, Rei and Tyson grabbed their new beyblades out of the case, switched the bits, and gathered around the beydish. It only took a few minutes of beybattling to realize that the new beyblade name suffixes were self-explanatory. Their blades had evolved. 

_To be continued..._


	15. Don't Even Have to Ask

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 15 - Don't Even Have to Ask 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

The IHS Beyblade Circuit Championship. All the teams of Hieville Collegiate waited in the pressroom of Wikka Stadium, the stadium in Capital City and where the Finals were being held. The three competing teams sat seriously being a long table, joined by Team M, the teacher advisors, and the Circuit's organizers. The rest were the other Hieville students and a crowd of press, who sat in the audience seats opposite the long table. 

A gray peppered-haired man stood up in his blue-gray suit. Automatically, a projector lit up the screen behind him with a tournament pyramid, except that it was blank. 

"We have randomly selected the matches between teams," the man announced. "In tier one, the Bladebreakers," their team logo appeared in the first slot, "Will be facing Team M," he said as their team logo, an 'M' and a rose, appeared in the corresponding place. 

Kai closed his eyes and crossed his arms. He would've rather faced the Demolition Boys first. 

"In tier two, the Demolition Boys," their logo appeared in the third slot, "versus the Majestics." The team logo, a purple medieval armor helmet, appeared. 

Robert reflected on this. The Bladebreakers' had told him of the 'D-Boys',' as Kai had taken to calling them, skills. He glanced over at Enrique and Oliver. They looked pumped to face their ex-friend, and take revenge for her ditching them. This certainly would be an interesting match.

* * *

The first match, and the Bladebreakers were psyched. So were the fans. After this match, if they won (and they sincerely hoped they won), the Bladebreakers would be in prime position to take on the D-Boys. 

"On this side of the dish is Max from the Bladebreakers!" Pause for the wild applause. "Competing against him will be Yuki of Team M!" 

The blonde beyblader stepped up onto the beydish platform, waving to the audience, who were going crazy with the cheering. Max looked across the beydish at a pink-streaked black-haired… boy? 

"Isn't Yuki a girl's name?" Max asked. 

Yuki, who didn't look too cheerful to begin with, darkened. "Yukino, that's my name. Then my idiot team captain," he pointed over his shoulder to a sandy haired girl, "signed me down as Yuki." 

All right, then, Max thought. This guy wasn't the funnest guy he had ever faced. 

"Are you ready?" the referee called. The two bladers nodded from their launch position. "Three! Two! One! Let it rip!" 

The two launched their beyblades. 

"If you turn your attention to the jumbo screen, ladies and gentleman, and you'll see their Rotation Per Minute rates on their launches!" 

Max looked up against his better judgement. But the curiosity was killing him. He'd never heard of such technology. He clocked in at an even 4000, while Yuki had 4180. 

Yuki's yellow beyblade smashed into Max's green. Max looked back down to see Draciel wobble. Yuki grinned. 

"You should really pay more attention to the beybattle than some stupid stats, Maxie-boy," Yuki sneered. 

Max gritted his teeth, knowing that Yuki was one hundred percent right, while Draciel evened out. That had been a close one. He couldn't afford another distraction. The yellow beyblade again tried to deal some damage, but this time Max was ready. 

"Draciel, Metal Ball Defense!" 

The attacker slowed visibly. A purple wave shield surrounding Draciel, bouncing the yellow beyblade off like a Mexican jumping bean. 

"Now, Max! Hit him!" Tyson yelled from the dug out. 

Max nodded. "Go, Draciel!" His green beyblade spun against Yuki's, knocking it against the dish wall. The yellow beyblade collapsed in a heap, finished. 

"And the winner of the first beybattle is Max!" the referee called. "The score is one to nothing in favor of the Bladebreakers! One more win and they'll be heading to the final round of the Finals!" 

Max retreated to his team's dug out, beaming proudly. He passed Rei, who was walking out to the platform for his beybattle. 

"Good job," Rei said with a grin. 

"Thanks." Max didn't think he'd stop smiling anytime soon. "Good luck!" 

Up on the ref's platform, DJ Jazzman announced, "Next to beybattle is Rei of the Bladebreakers versus Iayah of Team M!" 

Rei stepped up to meet a flame-haired girl. And flame-haired wasn't a metaphor. It stuck right up in flame-like wisps, except for the low ponytail at the nape of her neck. The main color was red, but you could see yellow and orange locks all through it, making it look even more like fire. He was going to take a wild guess and say that her element was fire. 

"Ready?" the referee called, but the question was redundant for he immediately continued without any answer. "Three! Two! One! Let it rip!" 

She launched her red beyblade and he his white one. Rei didn't make the mistake of looking up at the RPMs, preferring to keep his focus on the beybattle. But his teammates (and enemies) looked to find that the scores were even more impressive: 4399 for Rei, with 4378 for Iayah. 

The two beyblades circled, as was the popular opening move. 

"Driger!" Rei called, and the white tiger spun faster, catching up with the red beyblade. Driger lashed out at it. Iayah's beyblade swung into the vertex at the hit, but regained its composure enough to return the blow. Rei repeated the attack, which Iayah copied, on and on and on. 

"Come on, Rei," Tyson muttered, standing with his hands in fists before the bench. "She's just a mimic. But you've got the real thing." 

Kenny typed furiously on his laptop. He moaned in frustration. "I can't find anything on her!" 

"What?" Tyson exclaimed, turning around. Kai and Max's eyes were also on him. 

"You said you had found data on all the competition," Kai said, his eyes narrowing. 

"Oh wait, here," Kenny said with relief, pulling up a document. "This is her rookie year, and for the entire season she was the substitute." 

Max glanced back to the beybattle and to Team M. He smiled faded into a frown. "Then why change now?" 

"So we wouldn't have any information about her," Kai said, leaning back onto the cement wall, his arms crossed. 

"No info, no strategy," Kenny said. 

"It doesn't matter!" Tyson argued. "Rei's a master beyblader! He'll figure out a way!" He hoped so. 

"Driger, tiger claw!" Rei ordered from the platform. This little exchange had gone on long enough. 

"Spiral Survivor!" Iayah called. A tornado of flame spun up around her beyblade, successfully blocking the attack. 

Rei gasped, as did his teammates. 

"That's your move, Kai," Max said, staring at the dish in disbelief. Man, what he would give to have been able to keep that smile. 

"Then Rei should know how to defeat it." 

The flames disapated, and before Rei could even blink, the red beyblade had sent Driger flying. It landed a few feet away from the dish. 

"And the winner is Iayah!" the referee announced, throwing up his free hand. "That brings the score to a tie! Either of these teams could be going onto the finals! Isn't this exciting?" 

Rei walked sullenly back to his team. "Sorry guys," he said, his gaze downcast. 

"Don't worry about it," Tyson said, his expression cheerful as his voice. "That always happens to all of us. The important thing to remember is—" 

"Tyson is our last hope," Kai interrupted, his voice gruff. With only one beybattle to decide their fate... Maybe he should… No, Tyson could pull it off. That stubborn piggy beyblader always managed to pull off a win when they needed it. 

"Uh, I was going to say that that's what teammates are for," Tyson voiced. "But I guess that's the same thing." 

"Our last and tie-breaking match is between Tyson of the Bladebreakers and team captain Holly of Team M!" 

"Oh, crap!" Tyson rushed to the platform to find his sand-haired opponent already there. She was on time. She stood there, her posture confident and her launcher already loaded. 

"Three! Two! One!" DJ Jazzman called, foregoing the 'ready' part as he wasn't getting paid by the word. 

"Go, Dragoon Evolution!" Tyson yelled as the two launched, Tyson clocking in at 4603 while Holly managed a 4602. Amazingly close, Kai thought. It should be very interesting. 

_I've been fighting every night and day   
Gotta do my best to put you away_

Instead of circling, Holly's yellow beyblade went straight for Dragoon. Tyson, unprepared, only managed to swerve enough to only clip the other beyblade. Phew. 

Tyson then grinned, and sent his dragon back at her orange beyblade and took a hit on her. 

_Get the psycho self; get ready to play   
If you ever want to make it_

The two beyblades sawed on each other before the orange beyblade broke away to escape along the edge of the beydish. Dragoon followed, and pushed her, trying to nudge it over the edge. Instead, the orange beyblade slowed and Dragoon was almost the one to take the tumble. 

_You think you're gonna run me up against the wall   
Then let it rip, get ready to fall! _

Tyson, realizing that the edge wasn't the safest place to be, retreated his beyblade to the center. Holly sped her beyblade up again and smashed into Dragoon. Unfortunately for her, the dragon was in the right place for his attack. 

"Now, Dragoon! Phantom Evolution Hurricane!" 

_You're never gonna take me down   
Better watch your back, I'm the best in town _

Hurricane force winds swept around Dragoon's attack ring, picking up the orange beyblade in the wind and tossed it up to the ceiling. Tyson could practically taste the victory. The winds died down, and Holly's blade began its dissent. The audience waited with baited breath. 

"No!" Holly cried out. "Golden Wing Attack!" 

_Ever a-spinning round   
You'll never stop me _

Two owl wings sprouted in gold energy, slowing the beyblade's fall and redirecting it to fall inside the dish. A foot above the ground, the wings disappeared, leaving the orange beyblade to crash onto Dragoon's bit. It bounced intentionally, forcing Dragoon to wobble. 

"Tyson!" Max called out from the sidelines. "It's risky, but try a counter-spin!" 

"Thanks, Max!" Tyson called back, grinning. "Dragoon, you heard him! Counter-spin!" 

_I got one foot off the ground   
With my beyblade, my beyblade beatin' _

The white beyblade complied, slowing its spin down to a complete stop. Tyson concentrated with all his might into making Dragoon spin again. The risk paid off as the dragon regained its original speed in the opposite direction. Holly's unbalanced beyblade went flying off. 

_You'll never stop me   
You'll never take me down_

"Dragoon Evolution! Final Attack!" 

One last direct hit and the orange beyblade went flying out of the dish. 

"Waa-hoo! The Bladebreakers are heading to the final round of the Championship!" DJ Jazzman announced as the fans went wild with applause and catcalls. 

Rei, Max and Kenny ran up to Tyson, smiling and laughing and congratulating. Kai would have joined except that a certain redhead had tackled him to the ground and was currently straddling him. His teammates turned around. 

"Can I have your autograph, Kai?" Iayah asked, her eyes all bubbly. "I'm your number one fan!" 

Both teams sweat dropped. 

"If you get off of me," he said. Iayah obliged, waiting from him to get up before she held out a black and white picture of him. Where exactly she had got it from, Kai had no idea, but at least the mystery of why she had used Kai's Spiral Survivor was solved. 

Holly turned to Tyson, her expression dead serious. "Could you do us a favor?" 

"Uh… sure," Tyson answered. 

"Win the Finals, kay? 'Cause it would be humiliating to lose to a loser," Holly said. 

Tyson grinned, and clapped her on the back, making her eyes bug. "You don't have to ask us twice." 

_To be continued..._


	16. She Must Be Insane

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 16 - She Must Be Insane 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

The Bladebreakers settled into their seats, still receiving congrats from their fellow beybladers. The next match was about to begin. 

"The first match between the Demolition Boys and the Majestics will be fought by Shadra and Enrique!" 

Shadra already stood on the platform, and as her competitor was announced, she crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and smirked. 

"Oh please, give me an actual challenge," she said. 

Enrique reached the beydish. "Isn't an old friend enough?" 

"No," she said. Then opening her eyes, she added, "Maybe taking on your whole team will give me more than half a second worth of battling." 

"Is that right," Enrique said, glaring but trying to hide his disgust. "Maybe you just underestimate me." 

"I'm not. How about one battle, me versus your whole team, winner takes all?" 

The entire stadium went silent, all eyes on the girl with the ridiculous challenge. The Majestics were some of the best beybladers on the Circuit, who would be stupid enough to challenge this? 

Enrique looked up at the referee. 

He shrugged. "Nothing in the rules is against it, kid. As long as both team captains agree." 

Enrique looked back at Robert, who looked like he was thinking deeply. 

"What's the worse that could happen?" Johnny asked. "She's just one pathetic beyblader against four beybladers superior to her." 

"If you really think so," Robert said, his eyes closed. He opened them, standing up and called out to the referee, "We accept!" 

With a nod to each other, the other three Majestics walked up to the beydish to stand beside Enrique. 

The only teammate Shadra had was Tala. Everyone else was back at their suite. "I accept," Tala said, not even bothering to open his eyes. 

"Well… Okay then. Three!" the referee called, shrugging. The five beybladers stepped back into position. "Two!" They put their hands to their ripcords. "One!" They let it rip. 

The scores went up. Shadra: 5109, Robert: 5028, Johnny: 4993, Enrique: 4578, and Oliver: 4567. 

_Thought you'd take my name out You forgot about my home game   
Thought you'd take me down, sucker, Take me down so here we go _

Up in the stands, the Bladebreakers were at the edge of their seats, except for Kai. Kenny typed furiously into his laptop, hoping to dig up as much information as possible on Shadra to compare to the Majestics. Emily sat next to him with her laptop, which was hooked up to a couple of beyblade randomly placed recorder cameras. She was gaining valuable new data every second. 

"Is she insane?" Max asked. 

"Or just really cocky?" Rei asked. 

"Both," Kai said, his arms crossed, eyes intent on the scene below. "But that doesn't mean she's lost it." 

"According to my readings, Black Dranzer is only as powerful as Johnny's Salamulyon," Emily said. 

Kai smirked. "Just wait." 

_Thought you'd take me down You forgot about my old school   
If you want to teach me something new You'd better teach you something_

Black Dranzer merely dodged the attacks of the Majestics' beyblades. It was playing, having fun if the dark phoenix could have fun. But the Majestics didn't know that. 

"Not so arrogant now, are you?" Johnny taunted. 

With her eyes closed, shoulder slouched, she said, "Bored now." Then snapping her eyes back open, she called, "Trygator! Water Smash Attack!" 

The orange bit-beast rose up, sending Shadra's opponents into shock. That was... That was... Emily's bit-beast. How could she use it? Meanwhile, Emily clenched her fists, ignoring her laptop. Her precious Trygator, used by that... that... 

The black beyblade lunged towards Salamulyon. Johnny gasped, while the audience held their breath. But Trygator swerved and instead of hitting Johnny's beyblade, it hitOliver's pink beyblade out of the dish. Trygator exploded into a flash of light, retreating to its prison. 

Oliver looked down, his eyes shadowed. "You're not real," he whispered. "You're not my friend." He turned around and walked out of the stadium. 

Shadra stood there, watching him go. She wasn't real? She wasn't his friend? 

Amphilyon smashed into Black Dranzer's side, tearing her attention away from Oliver. She growled. 

_Thought you'd take my name out You forgot about my home game   
Thought you'd take me down, sucker, Take me down so here we go _

"Fire arrows!" Shadra called, and her attack was carried out at Enrique's blade. Amphilyon dodged it, and Enrique called his double-headed dragon bit-beast out. The crowd cheered. 

Shadra looked emotionlessly up at it. It was huge, she granted him that, but not very impressive. The first head tried to dive onto Black Dranzer, but the dark phoenix was too quick for it. The brought the black beyblade to Amphilyon's other head, which darted for the blade. 

"Shield and Sword Defense!" Shadra ordered. A black convex wall of energy formed above the beyblade. Amphilyon's head hit it and almost bounced off, if not for the darkness that entwined itself around the bit-beast's head. Amphilyon struggled, but the darkness kept encircling him like hanging ivy. The two-headed dragon shuddered, then dissipated as the black energy pooled on the beydish floor. Black Dranzer swooshed through it, and it too dissipated. The black beyblade easily took out Enrique's beyblade. 

_Thought you'd take me, geuber, You forgot about my old school   
If you want to teach me something new You'd better teach you something _

"What are the odds now?" Rei asked, not even taking his eyes away from the beybattle. 

Kenny squeaked and moaned. 

"In English, not good," Emily said. 

Down at the beydish, Johnny said, "That's enough. Salamulyon!" 

_Swing Down, Swing Low   
If you gonna better me _

The molten yellow bit-beast appeared, heating the whole stadium noticeably. Some spectators removed jackets and hats, feeling the sweltering heat. 

"Just take him out of his misery, my phoenix." The black beyblade rammed into Johnny's blade, sending it flying out of the dish. 

As his beyblade clattered on the ground, Johnny dropped to his knees. "How could I have been defeated so easily?" he moaned. 

"Because you're a loser, Johnny," Shadra said, apparently overhearing him. Her glance switched from the beaten loser to the one last potential threat, Robert. 

_Swing Down, Swing Low   
Let it rip Beyblade! _

"Just you and me," Shadra said. "But I'll fix that." 

Robert growled. No rookie was going to beat him. What should come naturally (his overwhelming power and skill)would still move him and his team onto the final round, even if she had beaten his teammates. 

"Griffolyon!" The purple griffin bit-beast appeared at his summons. 

"Black Dranzer!" The black phoenix appeared at her summons. 

The audience leaned forward in their seats, subconsciously wanting a better view of the two great birds. This was the first time ever that the dark phoenix had ever been shown in public. 

The two mythological birds, looking like they were at equal strength, watched the other waiting for their opponent to make the first move. Just like their beybladers. 

_Swing Down, Swing Low   
If you gonna better me_

"Wing Dagger!" The purple feathers flew at it's foe. 

"Now he's got her," Tyson said, leaning forward with fists clenched. 

Black Dranzer merely moved its wings to shield itself, while the feathers bounced uselessly off. Robert stepped back, shocked. Nobody had ever lived through Griffolyon's Wing Dagger attack before. 

_Swing Down, Swing Low   
Let it rip Beyblade!_

"My turn," Shadra said. Black Dranzer melted into energy and rushed at the purple griffin. With one last bellow, Griffolyon dissolved back into its beyblade. Robert's beyblade stopped spinning. 

The referee blinked a couple times, which was copied by many of the audience members. The win was just so quick. But he pulled himself together. "And the winner is Shadra," he announced. "The Demolition Boys will be facing the Bladebreakers in the final round! Only one of the two undefeated teams will get to keep its title!" 

The audience cheered long and hard before getting up to leave, the noise levels still loud. The Majestics minus Oliver, depressed about their humiliating defeat, went to pick up their beyblades. 

"Don't touch my prizes," Shadra said, her eyes narrowed and holding up her beyblade. The Majestics looked over, surprised. A cruel grin sat on her lips. 

Their bits glowed, and then one by one the bit-beasts emerged from their beyblades. They flitted around the stadium, trying to break away from the mysterious pull. The audience stopped and stared as one by one they were pulled into Black Dranzer's bit.

* * *

The Bladebreakers plus Emily and Ms. Tate gathered in their suite. The beybladers were breathing heavy after having to drag all of the equipment Ms. Tate said was required (although they were starting to have their doubts. Did they really need so many tons of equipment or was she just torturing them?). 

Emily checked her files on her laptop. "Success!" She pumped her hands in the air. 

"What?" Tyson asked. 

"We managed to get a true reading on Black Dranzer." 

"As opposed to what?" Rei asked, looking over her shoulder. 

"Black Dranzer makes a habit of hiding its power, so that most computers can't capture its real statistics. But we, with Ms. Tate's new system for obtaining readings, managed to get one when Black Dranzer appeared out of its bit." 

"So that means…" Tyson trailed off. 

"That means that you won't be fighting blind tomorrow," Emily said. 

"That's great! Now maybe we can figure out a strategy," Kenny said. "They won't try the same thing as they did with the Majestics, the four against one battle. Too risky and we'd be expecting it." 

"So what's our plan?" Rei asked. 

"I've compiled a list of your abilities and their abilities from previous data collections," Ms. Tate said. "I designed a program that compares all the information and makes selections based on that." 

"Um, Mom?" Max asked. "You have a lot of spare time, don't you?" 

"Since nobody hands in their homework..." Ms. Tate said off-handedly before perking up. "And I'm prepared to give you kids all free rides if you win." 

Tyson jumped up, joy apparent in his expression. "Yes! Let's get strategizing people! Let's go, let's go, let's go!" 

"Tyson, calmdown," Max said, sweat dropping. "I know you're failing but…" 

"I'll battle first," Kai said quietly. Everyone stopped, frozen in their positions. The great and mighty Kai was speaking!"I've seen them beybattle, an actual beybattle not the act they put on for the public." 

"Oh I get it," Kenny said. Then we should have one win under our belt." 

"And that's exactly what my program said should go first," Ms. Tate said. 

"Sure it did, Mom." 

"Rei will go second, and Tyson will take the final match," Ms. Tate said, ignoring her son's comment. 

"Makes sense to me," Emily said, pushing her glasses up on her nose. Everybody nodded in agreement, even Max.

* * *

The Demolition Boys and Boris sat in their own suite, making plans. Or rather, Boris was telling them what to do, Tala and the other two boys sat on the couch absorbing the strategy, and Shadra was off in a corner looking depressed. 

"Bryan, you're up first. It shouldn't take you more than two minutes and twenty-six seconds to win. Tala, you're up second. Only one minute and twelve seconds, you hear? Shadra—where? Oh," Boris said, looking around the room and finally spotting her. He sighed mentally. This girl was becoming more trouble than she was worth. "What's wrong?" he asked, knowing that that was the only way to get through it. Boys could be ordered; girls wanted to understand. Perhaps she wasn't the perfect test subject after all. 

"Forget what that Oliver kid said already," Tala snapped. Shadra ignored him. 

Boris snapped his attention onto the red-haired captain. "What did he say?" 

"Something like she wasn't real, that she wasn't her friend. Some crap like that." Tala shrugged. 

Boris swore under his breath. The control of his chip was slipping. He'd have to strengthen it. 

_To be continued..._


	17. Is There A Little Something Going On?

Author's Note: Yay for author's notes! Heeheehee, just thought I would say that there's only one chapter after this until the dramatic conclusion! (Yay!) Hehe, I felt like calling this chapter 'Of Drugs, Denseness, and Girlfriends,' but somehow resisted. You'll find out why I wanted to call it after you read. I feel like I've crossed some sort of line with Kai. Or at least some sort of line of political correctness. Probably have. And I've probably insulted a bunch of Mariah haters, Kai fans and Rei fans. But I really want to finish up Kai's arc before the big conclusion, and Mariah is one of my favorite characters and pretty smart, and I figure that she would cross some of the lines that I have presented for her. All in all, I'm a Mariah fan (hey, she's one of the best beybladers around, she even beat Rei, Max and all the other rejects). I think that it's just really too bad that in this story she couldn't take a bigger role as a beyblader. Sigh. Oh man, maybe I should stop blabbing. You probably want to read the story. Oh wait, just one more note: I'm finishing up this story by the end of Winter Holidays. Promise. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. The song I used for this beybattle is Underdog by Audio Adrenaline. I thought this song fit better than they beyblade ones. Oh, the last two lines are from a beyblade song, can't remember which.

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**  
by Shadou-sama  
Chapter 17 - Is There A Little Something Going On?

Beyblade fans from all over crowded into the stadium for the first round of the final matches between the Bladebreakers and the Demolition Boys. They chattered away, weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each participating beyblader, or just falling into the habit of 'Kai is the best!' and 'No way, Tala could easily kick his ass!'

The referee began his introduction and the audience finally noticed two figures standing at the dish. "Wow! Kai versus Bryan!"

"Kai can so win!"

"Nuh-uh, Bryan's invincible!"

"Shush! They're starting!"

Bryan and Kai stood at the podium, waiting for the referee to start the match. Crimson eyes met lavender, striking fear in the other whether they chose to admit it or not. Kai's friends and teammates waited on baited breath. Bryan's teammates were stolid, well, those that bothered to show that is. Only Spencer and their teacher advisor stood at Bryan's back.

Kai's eyes wavered, focusing on the Demolition Boy's dugout and noticing the lack of support. Mentally, he shook his head. They wouldn't bother to show the kind of 'friendship' that they had shown in school. They didn't care how Bryan did, only if he won, which they must be cock-sure of him doing.

"Each match has a different bowl, sponsored by Chou's Teriyaki! This dish..." the cover on it slid away, revealing a metallic-colored bowl that rose. Nothing remarkable, except for the two lengths of steels crossing each other across the dish, melded to the dish just below the rim. "This is the Catwalk Dish! If you can run like a leopard and balance like a jaguar, you can master this dish!"

"Maybe," Kenny said as he stared at the dish, "just maybe we should have let Rei handle this one."

"Kai can handle it," Tyson said, "no problem."

"We just have to have faith," Max added. "Faith in Kai."

"At the ready," the referee called. "Three! Two! One! Let it rip!"

The launch scores were up. Kai dominated Bryan by 280 RPM. But neither Kai or Bryan knew that, as their concentration was on the two spinning beyblades balancing on the steel cross. Not a second was wasted before Dranzer and Falborg rushed at each other, hitting a blow against the other, bouncing each other back and trying it again.

After only half a minute of this, they managed to bounce each other off the rods and into the main dish. The blue and the purple beyblades raced around the circumference, slashing at each other. Sparks flew in every direction.

"Wow, they're really going at it," Hillary commented, popping up between Kenny and Tyson. They jumped away at the girl's sudden appearance, and fell over.

"How did you get through security?" Tyson asked, rubbing his head.

"Easy," Hillary said. "Kai gave me a pass. How's he doing?"

"Taking a lot of damage. I'll have to repair his beyblade after this battle. It better not be the same in the other two or I'll be doing that till the cows come home," Kenny said. "But luckily, Bryan's fairing the same."

Dranzer smashed into Falborg, driving it into the side of the dish. Chunks of the bowl flew out into the center before Bryan was able to release his beyblade from the phoenix's talons.

The two beyblades were about to go for another round-about-smashing fest when the purple beyblade ran into one of the chunks. It ricocheted off of the steel cross and slammed straight into Kai's stomach.

The two-toned haired beyblader dropped to one knee, his arm clutching his injury and nearly drawing blood as he bit down on his lower lip in frustration for showing such weakness. If he had Black Dranzer... No! Dranzer was more than enough bit-beast for any opponent.

Not missing a beat, Falborg slammed into Dranzer, sending the phoenix out of the dish.

The referee talked into a walkie talkie, while Kai got back to his feet, holding his beyblade in a clenched fist. "And the winner is Bryan of the Demolition Boys! Can Kai come back to win?"

"What! That was totally a foul!" Hillary cried out, as the Bladebreakers jumped to their feet.

"Sorry, kid, but it was ruled it an accident," the referee said, after covering his microphone. "There's no evidence otherwise."

"The same trick he pulled on me," a low voice said behind them. They turned, to find it was Mariah. She clenched her fists. "Next he'll use the air itself to hurt Kai."

Rei remembered the match, when Shadra had shown her true colors, and in hopes of holding the match up he spun around and started heading to the dish. Too late.The beybattle was already in progress.

"Dranzer!" Kai summoned, and the phoenix appeared in her infinite glory. Her sheer radiance lighted up the stadium, and down below, many a maintenance man ran to turn the air conditioners on full blast.

"Falborg!" Bryan called. The crowd held a baited breath. But nothing happened.

Kai grinned. "Is your bit-beast out of batteries?"

Bryan closed his eyes, smirking. Kai's right arm guard sliced open, falling to the ground, tattered, as his hair and scarf swayed. The audience was shocked. But Kai kept his grin. His theory was correct: Falborg was a wind type bit-beast and his special ability was to able to blend in to the air. Bryan used this ability to attack the beyblader, weakening his opponent rather than their beyblade. And the neatest part of all, it was perfectly legal as they couldn't prove that it was Bryan that was causing the damage.

The wind continued to twirl around Kai. It shredded his other arm guard and sliced his arms open. But still, Kai stood as still as stone, his attention on the two beyblades constantly attacking each other in the dish. He could withstand it. He would.

"What's going on?" Hilary asked.

"Aaaahh!" Kenny moaned, typing furiously on his laptop. "Falborg is invisible!"

"So that's how he did it," Mariah said, looking down.

"We have to stop this match!" Rei said.

"No!" They all turned to look at Tyson. He pointed to Kai. "Look at him! He's got a plan."

On the podium, Kai smirked. Blood ran down his forehead, blinding him in his right eye. "Dranzer, Fire Arrow!"

Flames erupted from the blue beyblade along with the phoenix. Carried by Falborg's wind, it covered the entire beydish at once. The wind subsided, the flames disappeared, and all that was left were one spinning beyblade and one burnt beyblade.

Kai collapsed.

* * *

"He's coming to," a voice said. He couldn't see it, he didn't know who it belonged to. 

"Don't crowd him."

"Shhh!"

Kai opened his eyes. Surprisingly, he was lying on top of a bench in his team's locker room. It had seemed more cushioned than that... oh, they padded it with towels. His teammates, and several of his other friends, crowded around him despite the second voice's order.

"How do you feel?" Hilary asked. She was holding his hand. He let her.

He didn't answer, instead using his free hand to feel his forehead. Bandages covered it. _Shouldn't it hurt more?_ he asked himself. He noticed that Rei was holding a tiny empty bottle and needle. Oh, he was drugged.

"Amnesia's out of the question. He's ignoring us like he always does," Tyson said, smiling.

"When he starts talking to us, then we should worry," Max said, joking along with Tyson. Kai noticed that Max's smile only made it to his lips.

"I guess we should inform them of our forfeit," Kenny said.

Kai sat straight up, tipping a little because of his spinning head. "No," he said.

"You can't beybattle now," Tyson said, as the boys tried to push him back down. Unfortunately, Kai was stronger than them and, because of the drugs, couldn't feel any pain. He overpowered them and made it out the door before Rei and Mariah could catch up.

"It's suicide Kai," Rei said, managing to walk a step behind his team captain. Mariah was two steps behind him.

Kai stopped and spun on his heels, facing Rei. He pulled the golden-eyed boy into a deep kiss. Mariah's own golden eyes widened. The others managed to catch up during the kiss and their jaws dropped.

Kai finally let Rei go. "Now I can die happy," Kai said before continuing on his way.

"What is in this pain reliever?" Emily wondered, eyeing the unopened bottle she had brought in case Kai needed a little 'persuasion'. Nobody had an answer; even the receiver of the kiss was stuck. Except for Mariah.

For her, all the puzzle pieces fell into place. Kai trying to hide his face every time Rei praised him, the locker room incident her boyfriend had told her about, the doodle of the two kissing. It wasn't Shadra, it was Rei.… Kai was gay.

_I am so weak and I'm so tired  
It's hard for me to  
Find enough strength to feed the fires  
To fuel my ego_

By the time the team and friends came to their senses and raced after their team captain, Kai already stood at the beydish, ready to fall over. Bryan looked smug. The last match had already begun and Falborg was trouncing Dranzer. No wonder, with Kai's mind muddled with morphine.

What was worse was that now Rei and everybody knew how… disgusting he was. Liking another guy. His friends would desert him, or pity him. Kids who wouldn't dare to look at him before would torment him. Forget about competing on the team next year, much less captaining it. And oh yeah, his grandfather would kick him out of his house.

Mariah, her pink pony-tail swaying dramatically, quickly assessed the situation.

_And consequently all my pride  
Has all but died  
Which leaves me  
Down on my knees  
Back to the place I should've started from_

"Rei, tell him," she ordered, with one hand on her hip.

"Tell him what?" Rei asked, absolutely confused.

"That it's okay," she said.

"Tell him what's okay?"

"Argh!" Her boyfriend was so dense! Lee would know what she was talking about!

"Dude, that it's okay that he's gay," Tyson said. Geez, even Tyson got it and he was named the densest student in the history of the school!

_Been beat up  
Been broken down  
No where but up  
When you're face-down  
On the ground _

"What?" Rei asked.

"Don't be such a homophobe, Rei!" Mariah said. "Tell him or I'll tell him something!"

"Eh?"

Mariah grumbled. She strode up to the platform and tugged on Kai's baggy pants. Insensitive from the drugs and his thoughts, not to mention the beybattle, the pink-haired girl nearly dragged him off the stage before he realized she was there.

"Rei likes you," she said.

Kai gained a look she had never ever seen on him: confusion. "Huh?"

So, Rei wasn't the only dense one around. But at least Kai had the pain relievers to blame. "Rei likes you, so if you want to do this kamikaze beybattle then win it for him!"

_I'm in last place  
If a place at all  
But there's hope for this underdog.  
That's the way, uh huh we like it  
That's the way, uh huh we like it  
They call me the underdog!_

Kai's slightly glazed eyes told her he understood although he didn't say anything, which he never did anyway so it was all good. She sent him back to the beybattle and was retreating back to her friends when she overheard her boyfriend.

"I'm not a homophobe! I just don't think it matters," Rei was telling his friends. "A person's sexual orientation is their own business, and I don't think he should get treated any differently because of it."

"Glad to hear it," she said, patting him on the back. "'Cause I just told Kai you like him."

_I'm in this race to win a prize  
The odds against me  
The world has plans for my demise _

"What!" Instead of looking like a cat, Rei now looked like a fish.

"And that he should win the beybattle for you," she said, smiling brightly.

He looked downcast, his lips set in a firm line. "I have the one girlfriend in the entire world that tells other guys that I like them," Rei mumbled. "Why couldn't I have an overprotective one that yells at me every time I glance at another girl?"

"I am that type," Mariah said, her face still cheerful. "But Kai's not a girl."

_But what they don't see is  
Is that the winner is not judged by his small size  
But by the substance which he picks to  
Run the race his mind's already won _

"Look at him go!" Hilary whooped.

Dranzer fought back, bullying Falborg now instead of the other way around. The phoenix cornered the wind bird onto the cross. Sparks flew as Bryan's scowl grew bigger. That little brat had already taken one win, and with the promise of two hundred lashes from Boris, he wasn't going to let Kai take the third match.

"Falborg!" Bryan summoned. The tornado-speed wind thrashed at Kai's numb body. Kai's scarf was torn right off his neck. (One of the fan girls caught it in the stands, and shrieked happily.) Huge rips tore into his shirts and pants but luckily for him, his underwear was left alone. Long, clean lacerations were sliced into his bare skin, and crimson blood flowed down, soaking his clothes and the ground.

_Been beat up  
Been broken down  
No where but up_

Up in the stands, at the very top, leaned Tala and Shadra, watching the sadistic display. Their faces held no mercy, no shock like the audience's. They seemed completely relaxed, now that they were out of the watchful eye of Boris.

"Dranzer!" The red bit-beast emerged from its bit and tried to grab its invisible foe with its sharpened beak. Kai closed his eyes, letting it all wash over him. He missed his scarf. His neck was cold. Wait... he could see something. He reached out and snatched the air. It struggled, but when Kai opened his eyes again he found himself holding a shimmering light blue scarf, the color of the sky complete with clouds. The wind was gone.

_When you're face down  
On the ground  
I'm in last place  
If a place at all_

Kai smirked and wrapped the scarf around his neck. "Can you win without your evil tactics and your bit-beast?"

"Yes," Bryan said as the scarf tightened around Kai's neck. It choked him, and his hands flew to his neck trying to pry the cloth off. "You fool. That scarf is my bit-beast."

The cloth shape shifted back into its original form and returning to its place above the purple beyblade, though none but Kai and Bryan could tell.

"Fire Arrow!" Kai ordered. The blue beyblade spun forward recklessly at the other blade.

"Falborg!"

A gush of wind blew up a considerable amount of dust and forced Kai to cover his eyes. The wind died, an attack ring hit the ground, and the team captain blinked twice before looking at the results.

_Always up and Always down  
To me... this is the only game in town!_

Falborg was still spinning, but wobbling considerably. Dranzer was no where to be seen.

"And the winner is Bryan! The Demolition Boys take the first match! Can the Bladebreakers come back to win the second?"

Shadra and Tala leaned to opposite sides as the blue beyblade whizzed between them. It hit the wall behind them, falling to pieces before it even hit the floor. Shadra reached down and grabbed the one undamaged beyblade part, slipping it into her pocket. Below, Kai's teammates were forcing him into an ambulance, with varying success.

"Should we go?" Tala asked.

"Either to the suite or walk in the streets," Shadra said.

"Boris won't miss us," the red-haired boy said.

"Too busy rewarding Serkowsky," the black-haired girl said.

"Two hours before my match."

They walked out into the street unnoticed to wander around the city.

_To be continued..._


	18. Cyberlicious

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 18 - Cyberlicious 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

Rei stood ready at the beydish, mere seconds away from the second round. That alone should have kept his mind sharp, if it hadn't been for his opponent not being there. Boris paced back and forth, muttering under his breath which Rei could barely pick up, but which made Kai's sadistic attacker cringe. Bryan and Spencer sat on the bench, uneasily watching their teacher advisor pace back and forth. 

"You have five minutes, Mr. Boris, to provide a beyblader," the ref said, squatting on his podium and covering his mike. 

Boris cursed violently, probably more than enough to make any sailor cover their ears. Luckily, Rei was too far away for the words to reach his innocent ears. 

The redhead beyblader walked in through the gate, followed by his black-haired teammate. Tala closed his eyes and waited patiently for Boris to stop yelling at him, well, more like talk sternly. Shadra sat down apathetic next to Spencer. 

"And the second match is between Rei of the Bladebreakers and Tala, team captain and substitute for the Demolition Boys!" the referee announced, striking an awkward but cool pose. 

The lid to the beydish opened up and a snow filled dish appeared. The ref stared for a second, his eyes blinking twice before he regained his composure. "Representing the winter weather -- the Blizzard Dish!" He turned off his microphone to talk into his walkie-talkie. Tala and Rei were the only people able to hear him yelling at the maintenance crew and how they shouldn't leave the dishes outside. 

"Bladers, in your ready position!" Watching the big screen, the shot spiraled around the ref before topping over his head and zooming in on the two beybladers. "Three! Two! One! Let it rip!" 

Instantly, 4890 showed up on both shots of the beybladers on the screen. Snow blew out of the dish underneath the spin rate of the two white beyblades. The two slammed into each other, wasting no time. 

Driger forced Wolborg back, the wolf helpless in the white tiger's relentless attacks. 

"Tiger Claw!" Rei ordered. Light flashed and Wolborg was thrown from the dish, tidy claw marks engraved in the attack ring. 

"The winner of the first beybattle is Rei!" 

Rei whooped mentally, showing great enthusiasm on the outside. He'd beat Tala for Kai, but not in a gay way. Not that there's anything wrong with that. 

Tala merely looked at his fallen beyblade, not a single millimeter of anger or disappointment. If anything, he looked a bit happy at the event. He picked up his beyblade and walked back to Boris, who didn't look angry in the least. Rei stopped his celebration as soon as he noticed that. Something was up. 

Tala came back, new attack ring installed. 

"Scared?" Rei asked. 

Tala's smug look took on greater intensity. "You left yourself wide open for our equipment," Tala said. "Beating you now will be easy." 

"Is that so," Rei said as they took their positions. 

"Three! Two! One! Let it rip!" 

They held the same score again. It looked like they were matched perfectly, no program could chose between the two. 

"Uh guys?" Kenny said, starting into stage one of his panic mode. 

"What?" Tyson asked, tearing his attention away from the beybattle. 

"Tala's brain waves are messed up," Kenny said, now into stage two. 

"What do you mean?" Emily asked, leaning over to look at his screen. "Oh my" 

"What's going on?" Max asked. Now everyone had his or her attention on Kenny, except for Rei. 

"I recorded his brain waves from previous beybattles, and they're nothing like they are now. It's almost like..." Kenny trailed off. 

"He's cyber-human," Emily finished. She snapped her fingers. "That's why his moves are so precise." 

"Boris would be sick enough to try that," Hilary said, sticking her tongue out in disgust. 

"Initializing Final Attack program," Tala said. 

"Huh?" Rei was thoroughly confused. 

Wolborg kicked into high gear, and viciously attacked Driger. This time, Driger's white beyblade was the one to eat dirt. 

"Tala ties it up! This next beybattle will determine the winner!" 

Rei grabbed his beyblade and retreated to his team. While Kenny looked over his beyblade for damage, Emily filled Rei in on Tala's new hardware. 

"Is that even possible?" he asked. 

Emily nodded. "Apparently." 

"But you can beat him Rei!" Mariah said, extra cheerful. "After all, computers follow a set series of commands, and you don't so you can easily counter his strategy better then he can yours." 

It would help if they knew what Tala's strategy was, Rei thought. But if Kai could nearly beat Bryan while half-conscious, than he could defeat Tala while fully conscious. 

He stepped back up to the beydish. Unsmiling, not scowling, Tala did the same on the other side. One last beybattle, which would determine whether the Demolition Boys would take the championship or the Bladebreakers would have a chance. 

He looked past the redhead to view the bench. Shadra leaned against the side of the dugout, arrayed in her usual black and red vest, and black clothes. She wasn't even watching the match, looking bored with the proceedings. Rei's determination strengthened. He wasn't only fighting for his team, his injured captain, but for his friend as well. This was how they were going to get her back, Mr. Dickinson had reasoned, and the first step toward their goal was winning this match. 

"Are you ready?" the ref called. The two beybladers fell back into position. "Three! Two! One! Let it rip!" 

_I've been fighting every night and day   
Gotta do my best to put you away _

"A stunning 5403 and 5304 for RPM scores!" the ref called. 

The two white beyblades settled right into the snow and went straight for each other. Round and round the ring they went, sending each other blows. Sparks flew, melting the snow-covered dish. The going was getting very sloppy. 

Wolborg swerved into the center, and Driger with it's speed raced halfway around the dish before it could follow the wolf to the center. They sawed at each other, water swooshing onto the dish walls, then falling back to the center only to be swooshed out again. 

_I've been fighting every night and day   
Gotta do my best to put you away _

Driger backed out first, the water was seriously logging its parts. This put Wolborg off balance and nearly spun right out of the dish. The white tiger dodged to the rim, as the snow had melted by now creating a new dish where that was the only safe place. Well, unless a bit-beast could handle the water. 

"Initializing attack sequence," Tala said, as his beyblade to its place exactly across from the tiger. "Wolborg!" 

_You think you're gonna run me up against the wall   
Then let it rip, get ready to fall! _

Strong blizzard winds shot out of nowhere, upland from the tiger beyblade. Driger had to lean forward to balance against the opposing force that it's attack ring was a couple millimeters from scraping the dish. 

Rei stood strong. If Kai could weather the wind, so could he. Unless" The wind abruptly stopped, sending Driger toppling into the water. 

"Driger!" 

_You're never gonna take me down   
Better watch your back, I'm the best in town _

A bright white light blazed from beneath the surface, and Driger's white beyblade reemerged, still spinning, if a little wobbly. Wolborg was a mere foot away from Driger, and took the opportunity to pounce. The two again wrapped themselves into endless attacks and defends and vice versa. 

"Driger!" Rei summoned, and the white tiger leapt into the playing field. 

_Ever a-spinning round   
You'll never stop me _

"Wolborg!" Tala summoned, his white wolf jumping into the fray. 

The two beasts fought, Wolborg trying to taste the tiger's throat and Driger introducing his claws to the wolf's hide. 

The beyblades battled on, horizontal in the dish. If Tala overpowered, Driger would be sent into the pool. If Rei had the strength, Wolborg would topple out of the dish. 

_I got one foot off the ground   
With my beyblade, my beyblade beatin' _

Mariah crossed her fingers. Come on Rei, she silently prayed. 

"Tiger Claw!" 

"Wolf Fang!" 

The two bit-beasts took a final run at each other, blowing the air every which way. A white beyblade fell at Tala's feet out of the dish. Rei held his breath, excitement bubbling within him. Only one of the beyblades had been close to being knocked out, and that was not his. Tala had" won? 

Wolborg still spun in the dish. Driger had been thrown out instead of taking a dive. 

"And the winner is Tala! The Demolition Boys have won the Finals—" 

"Shut up," Tala snapped at the ref. He turned to Rei. "One more beybattle, winner take all," he proposed. 

Rei looked up. "The last match?" 

Tala nodded, picking up Rei's beyblade. "Affirmative. If your champion wins, you get the title. But if we win, we get all of your bit-beasts." To exemplify, he took the bit out of Driger Evolution and stuck it in his own pocket. 

Tyson jumped up on the stage beside Rei, shoving the poor black-haired beyblader out of the way. "We accept." 

"What?" Rei exclaimed, as well as his other teammates and friends. 

"Don't worry, I won't lose," Tyson said. He pointed forcefully at Shadra. "You hear me? I won't lose!"

* * *

The gang walked back to their hotel rooms and suites, depending on whether they were on the Bladebreakers team or not. The next and final match would be held the next day. Lee caught up to them, and pulled Mariah over. The whole crowd stopped to see what was up. 

The White Tigers' captain pulled a yellow rose from his sleeve and held it out to the pink-haired girl. 

"A romantic evening for two at Le Petite Chateau?" Lee asked. 

Rei, having had enough of this, stepped in between the two obviously very, very enraged. "What do you think you're doing! You know she's my girlfriend!" 

"Word on the street is you have another sweetheart," Lee said. "Don't you think that Mariah deserves more than second violin to your mistress Kai?" 

Rei nearly fell over. "What! I don't like Kai, not in that way!" 

Mariah smiled nervously, her hand behind her head. "I just told Kai that so he'd win." 

Lee's eyes widened comically. 

"I know," Rei said, standing sagely beside the shocked teen. "She's a weird one. If she didn't put out, we probably would've lost interest a long time ago." 

"Rei!" she exclaimed slapping him on the face. 

He rubbed his bruised jaw. "What? You're the only one who gets to lie?" 

"Yes," she said. 

Rei and Lee glanced at each other, wishing just a little that the other would steal her away. 

_To be continued..._


	19. Final Showdown

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 19 - Final Showdown 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

Tyson, his team (minus Kai) and their girlfriends (plus Hilary) walked through the hallway that separated their locker room from the main stadium. Today was the day; this time was the time. Tyson was going to defeat Shadra and win the IHS Beyblade Finals (plus a free ride in Physics!). One chance only (well, technically two out of three), he just hoped he didn't screw up. 

Max walked along, grim and slouching. Only an hour before he had been stupid enough to challenge Shadra to regain the bit-beasts. Unfortunately, she gained his bit-beast. Now she had another for her little bit-beast army. 

"Hey!" The beybladers stopped and turned around. Dick opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. 

Carly sighed, exasperated. "Dad had this whole big speech he was going to say, but apparently he's already forgotten it,"she said. "The main gist is good luck." 

"Thanks, Mr. Stephens,"Tyson said. 

Dick again opened his mouth, and Carly rolled her eyes. "And he promises that if you bring Chaton back, he'll take you out for all you can eat," Carly said. 

A grin grew on the navy-haired boy's face. "Passing Physics, free meals, and a shiny new title!" Tyson exclaimed. "Now I will definitely win!" 

The group laughed. It quieted after a moment or two, and they just stood there looking down, uncomfortable, reminded of how grave this one match was. 

"Umm..." Rei began. 

Kenny looked down at his watch. "Tyson, your match is starting in two minutes!" 

That got them moving. They dispersed with a few meek farewells, Dick and Carly heading to the stands while the friends walked into the main stadium. 

Shadra was already at the beydish, looking bored. Tyson held up a second, imagining what it would've been like facing her without Biovolt's intrusion. For one, she'd look very, very excited. Some of Tyson's own friends would be behind her, not the silent new students. Everyone would be laughing and enjoying him or herself, not grim and anxious like now. Those would be great to have back, but the biggest thing he missed was the confidence he'd have of beating her without breaking a sweat. Now she had a whole stable of bit-beasts and an overflowing pot of skill. Winning might not be as easy. 

Still, he confidently strode up to the dish. Tyson, however he truly felt, would always exude happy confidence despite what odds he would face. 

But, he reminded himself, one thing was the same. His friends were behind him, supporting him. Shadra might be a strong individual, but they were an even stronger team. But would his friends be the deciding factor of the match? 

He shook his head of such negative thoughts. He'd win; they'd party. Shadra would become her old self again, and they'd party even more. Plus all you can eat-- 

His self-confidence was back on his face as he faced his opponent. 

"The final and apparently deciding match between the Bladebreakers and the Demolition Boys! Yesterday, both beybladers of the Demolition Boys won their matches, but Tala, team captain, opted for one last deciding match! So, here we are with Shadra of the Demolition Boys and Tyson of the Bladebreakers! 

"For this last match, we have the Time Bowl!" The cover over the dish slid open, revealing a slightly concave bowl with a long bar that acted like the hands on a watch. As soon as the bowl rose to full height, the hand started spinning, as fast as the second hand would on a clock. "These two beybladers not only have to watch out for each other, but the second hand moving. After each minute of a battle, the clock hand will move slightly faster. Quick victories are prized with this dish, not endurance..." He stopped for a moment, letting it all sink in. 

"Are you ready?" the ref called more to the crowd than to the two beybladers. The audience cheered and joined in on the count-down. "Three! Two! One! Let it rip!" 

The two launched their beyblades into the bowl, Shadra narrowly missing the bar. She sped her blade up, to get out of the hand's way. The scores for the launches (5790 and 5821) had barely been up before Shadra attacked. Unprepared for this quick starting move, Tyson's beyblade didn't have a chance to defend and flew out of the dish. The hand had only made over a quarter way around the dish. 

"And the winner of the first battle is Shadra!" the ref called, after the rapid victory had sunk in. There weren't many cheers in the audience, and a loud boo-ing that seemed to come from Kevin. "She'll have no problem with this fast paced dish!" 

Shadra walked back to her team after grabbing up Black Dranzer, a quiet smirk playing across her lips. Gently, she slid her thumb across the bit-chip. 

"You didn't follow my orders," Boris growled. 

Shadra shrugged. "Didn't feel like losing." 

If the Demolition Boys ever showed emotions, they might have gasped. But as such, they looked from the black-haired girl and their glowering purple-haired coach, holding their breath. 

"You weren't going to lose," Boris replied slowly, as if explaining to a young child. "You were simply allowing us to gather up to date data." 

"Now, you know that I don't need that data." 

Boris cursed under his breath. Her chip was on full power, yet she disobeyed orders like... Kai. She had too much power to allow having such flexibility in her conduct. He'd have to strengthen the program. Without replying to her, he walked out of the main stadium to where he kept his computers. 

Meanwhile, the call went up for the two beybladers to return to the dish for the next match. Shadra returned in silence, while Tyson was berated with a dozen, "ood luck!"s, "Don't lose this time!"s and a "Hiyo!" The blue-haired beyblader had no idea what that last one was about. 

All attention turned to the referee. "If Shadra wins the next beybattle, the Demolition Boys will win despite their gamble! But if Tyson wins, the Bladebreakers still have a chance!" the ref called. 

"What are you, the narrator?" Shadra asked with a sneer. 

"Actually, yes!" the ref called down. "Now, are you ready?" The whole audience cheered their reply. The two beybladers didn't reply. "Three! Two! One! Let it rip!" 

The two launched their beyblades. This time, neither was close to hitting the moving hand. The scores went up with even greater numbers: 6984 and 6979. 

The two beyblades, black and white, battled furiously as the watch hand followed behind them. But the hand was going at a much slower pace than the blades, so they easily pulled ahead and before the beybladers knew it, they had come up to the hand again, this time from behind. 

Dragoon easily maneuvered around it, but Black Dranzer had only a few seconds before the beyblade came up to it. The audience and Tyson held their breaths. This could be the end. 

"Black Dranzer!" she called out, and the black beyblade leaped over it, and sped up to escape the oncoming hand. The dark phoenix smashed into Dragoon, but the dragon didn't budge. The beybattle was still on. 

The hand had now sped up, and it was proving more of a challenge for the beyblades to keep out of its way. Dragoon nearly clipped its attack ring after a failed attack on its enemy. 

"Time to end this!" Tyson proclaimed. "Evolution Hurricane Attack!" 

"I agree," Shadra said. "Griffolyon, Wing Dagger!" 

A sharp pain snapped through Shadra's head, causing her wince. She ignored it, concentrating on the rising griffin and the dragon's wind attack. Wind swept around the beydish, while the black beyblade rose into the air with Griffolyon. When the beyblade was high enough, the griffin let out a mighty flap of his wings, sending tens of purple feathers at its opponent's beyblade. 

Another sharp pain slapped her. Her hand flew to her head; it was so strong. With her deteriorating attention, the attack weakened and affected the dragon none whatsoever. 

"Dragoon, final attack!" 

Shadra's head snapped up, pain forgotten. But it was too late, Dragoon had already knocked out Black Dranzer. 

Tyson was about to gloat, but yells from the entrance hall interrupted. 

"You --" huff puff "-- have to go back -- " groan "--to the hospital!" 

"Patients--" moan "-- in your condition --"another groan "-- shouldn't leave!" 

Tyson and the others turned their attention to the door, where Kai dragged three hospital attendants into the stadium. The team captain looked a bit better than yesterday, but nothing drastic enought to allow his release this early. He was still covered in bandages, for goodness sake. 

"Kai,"Tyson said. 

"Must -- watch -- match--" Kai groaned. The attendants may not have been stopping him, but they had certainly slowed him down. He reached the team dug out, then stopped. The attendants slid off him, looking more tired than Kai did. They might even have been reconsidering their choice of profession. 

"It's televised," Max said as he and Hilary jumped up to help him keep standing. "You could'vee watched it on TV." 

"You should be resting!" Hilary exclaimed. 

Kai didn't respond, just slid down onto the bench. 

"He's a bit out of it," one attendant explained, obviously not familiar with Kai's usual manner. 

"Sedation, tranquilizers," another attendant explained. "Trying to keep him in the hospital..." 

"And what a great job you did," Hilary said, rolling her eyes. 

"If you're done with the circus freak, why don't we get on with the beybattle?" Shadra said, interrupting the group. 

"That 'circus freak' was the guy you had a major crush on!" Tyson said, his hands in fists. 

"Now he's just the guy I crush in battle," Shadra said. "Now, are we going to battle, or are you just trying to buy some more time before the whole world discovers how simply inferior you are." 

"He may be inferior, but that doesn't mean you're superior!" Hilary yelled. 

"Hey!" Tyson exclaimed. 

"Uh, kids? Maybe we should start the next beybattle?" the ref suggested. The two beybladers nodded with a soft "finally" from Shadra. "Three! Two! One! 

"LET IT RIP!" 

_To be continued..._


	20. It's Just For Fun, Right?

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 20 - It's Just For Fun, Right? 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

_Waiting so long, simply for you_

The two launched their beyblades. This time Dragoon nearly hit the spinning hand, but fell mere centimeters behind it. Tyson commanded an abrupt change turn, sending the white beyblade across the diameter of the beydish, right in Black Dranzer's path. The dark phoenix took the opportunity to attack. 

"This is not good," Kenny moaned. 

"It's never good," Max commented. 

"But this is even worse!" 

"What's wrong?" Emily asked. Her boyfriend was having a serious hyperventilation problem. 

"I've just pulled the latest stats," Kenny said, calming down a bit. "According to this, right now Black Dranzer is stronger than Dragoon usually is. And Shadra hasn't even called it out!" 

"This is not good," Max said, repeating Kenny's statement. 

_I've paid my dues   
Earned my wings _

The hand was now spinning so fast that it was nearly impossible to keep in front of it. Both Dragoon and Black Dranzer had both taken non-fatal hits to their attack rings. Small jagged bits of strengthened plastic littered the bowl. And after every rotation (which kept finishing sooner), it would speed up even more. 

"Salamulyon!" Shadra called out. In a flash, the molten colored salamander appeared. Flames licked around it then were thrown against the hand. Tyson, wide-eyed, desperately tried to move his Dragoon out of the line of fire. 

_I'm taking the singe   
'Spite the shining on him!_

It took a few seconds to see what had happened after the salamander bit-beast disappeared. Tyson was relieved to see his beyblade unsinged. 

"Ha! You missed!" Tyson gloated. 

Shadra paid no attention, but sent her Black Dranzer blader directly at the white beyblade. Then the audience (and Tyson) noticed the vanishing of the hand. Only the rod in the center still stood. She hadn't missed, just taken out an obstacle. 

_I'm gonna steal your thunder (Gonna steal your thunder)   
Coming up from under (coming up from under) _

"That was a close one," Kenny sighed. 

"I hope she doesn't have to pay for damages," Mariah said. "Oh wait, I do!" 

Kai balled his fists. The attendants lied in various positions nearby. He knew what she was going to do next, and it wasn't going to be pretty. Okay, so maybe it might be, but not for Tyson. 

"Attack back!" Hilary screamed, jumpimg up and down. Rei and Max gave her odd looks. "Don't just defend!" 

"It's kind of hard when she doesn't even give me one chance!" Tyson shot back, before turning to the match. "THEN MAKE ONE!" Shadra shot a glare at the girl. Tyson suddenly brightened. Maybe Hilary might be right about something... 

_I've got your number   
I'm the underdog (I'm the underdog)_

"Dragoon!" Tyson summoned. "Evolution Hurricane Attack!" 

The winds picked up, and drove at the black beyblade. But the dark phoenix wasn't going to give in so easily. 

"Metal Ball Defense!" 

The white beyblade and all its winds bounced off Draciel's wall of shimmering blue energy. The winds died down, and only the mighty dragon remained. 

"Tiger Claw!" 

The white tiger leaped from the black beyblade and clawed at Dragoon. The dragon barely had time to dodge. 

"Driger," Rei moaned from the dugout. "Don't do it!" 

But whether Rei's call might've worked wouldn't be revealed that moment, since Shadra immediately called out her next bit-beast. "Dranzer! Fire Arrow!" 

"No!" Kai exclaimed, bolting upright so quickly that he could feel his wounds protest through the drugs. 

The arrows of fire flew at Dragoon, taking a direct hit. The blue dragon fell back. 

Tyson looked grim. "You stole my friends' bit-beasts. You stole my teammates' bit-beasts. Now you use them to defeat me." He smirked. "But if you need their bit-beasts to beat me, then you're obviously not as good as you think you are." 

Shadra stepped back. "Fine," she snapped. "Black Dranzer!" 

"This might not have been the wisest thing he's done," Rei commented. 

_I've paid my dues   
Earned my wings_

The black phoenix in all its glory appeared. The two, phoenix and the now-standing dragon circled each other. Evil and good, yin and yang, foe versus friend. 

"Death Pyre!" she ordered. The flames swept out but Tyson was ready. 

"Evolution Hurricane Attack!" 

_I'm taking the singe   
'Spite the shining on him!_

The winds swept the flames away from Dragoon. Shadra's attack was useless. Pain struck through her head, so bad that she fell to her knees. She was losing, so she was being punished... Shadra thought through the mind-numbing pain. 

"Dragoon! Final Attack!" 

_I'm gonna steal your ground (I'm gonna steal your ground)   
Turn your head around (Turn your head around) _

The attack hit center. Black Dranzer tried to defend, but with its beyblader's failing strength, it didn't have the power. Both beyblade and girl flew back. 

_I'm the underdog (I'm the underdog) _

* * *

Shadra floated through her unconscious state. She had lost, and this was her punishment. To be lost forever in the darkness. 

But where had she gone wrong? She had an army of bit-beasts, powerful bit-beasts, yet one measly dragon had beaten her so badly. But didn't that dragon always win? Okay, not always. She remembered beybattles were it was a near lost. Some where he was defeated. But he always bounced back. Why? 

Shadra trained more than he did. She took it more seriously than he did. Why was he victorious? 

Because he doesn't get punished. If he doesn't win, it's okay. He just tries to improve and beat that opponent next time. Why couldn't she do that? 

Because her teammates didn't think it was okay. Boris didn't think it was okay. Tyson's teammates thought it was okay. They thought that as long as he tried hard, it was a good battle. That's how he came to be the best. His friends helped him when he was down, they helped him improve, they supported him no matter what. 

Like they would've done for her if she hadn't hurt them so badly. She betrayed their trust, their friendship and stole their bit-beasts. Maybe that's why Tyson won, to help his friends just like they helped him. 

Her mother used to support her. Even when Shadra was so horrible. But now she was gone, and there was no way to bring her back. Shadra hadn't even cared. 

What was it that her mother said once? Shadra had been only six, before she moved to Hieville. Her mother was single; she hadn't even met Dick. They had lived in Capital City and Shadra had enrolled in one of the beyblade camps. But she couldn't beat anyone, not even the dunce of the group. She was the dunce. 

No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't win. She cried, thinking it was hopeless. Why not just quit and save herself the humiliation? But her mother, in her infinite wisdom, told her something that she would never forget. At least until she got so involved in the Demolition Boys. 

"It's just for fun," her mother had said, and it felt to her as if she was saying it again. "It doesn't matter if you win all the time, or even lose all the time. As long as you enjoy yourself, that's all that matters."

* * *

Shadra's eyes flew open. She wasn't in the darkness, just lying on the floor in the stadium. Tyson stood over her, looking worried. So did her ex-friends. Her teammates stood above her head. They didn't look worried, but how could they with all the training that Boris had put them through? 

Tyson stretched a hand out to her; not looking so worried now that he had noticed she was awake. She didn't take it. She had to know something first. 

"Beyblade," she said her voice shaky. "It's just for fun, right?" 

Tyson smiled. "Yep. Just for fun." 

Shadra took his hand, and he helped her up. 

_To be continued..._


	21. Final Battle Reveals Abuse and Cruelty

**It's Just For Fun, Right?**   
by Shadou-sama   
Chapter 21 - Final Battle Reveals Abuse and Cruelty 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. 

CAPITAL CITY - The final beybattle of the Inter-High School Beyblade Circuit was fought today between teams, both from Hieville Collegiate of Hieville. The Demolition Boys sent up their number one beyblader, Shadra with her bit-beast Black Dranzer, to compete for the title against the Bladebreakers' Tyson and his bit-beast Dragoon. 

But it isn't as simple as it looks. After the Bladebreakers' victory, Shadra agreed to testify against the Demolition Boys' teacher advisor, Balkov Boris, and Biovolt CEO Voltaire Hiwatari. 

The team's secret to winning? Cyberization, behavior modification chips, anti-emotion training, and an average of sixty hours of practice each week. 

Principal of Hieville Collegiate, Stanley Dickinson, reports that this is not the first time that the two have done this. In Russia, Boris operated a Balkov Abbey, a beyblade school, to gain test subjects. Last year, Russian officials investigated, and the whole operation shut down. 

Boris, escaping arrest, immigrated to Hieville to start again with three students of Balkov Abbey. Once there, he gained a fourth member to experiment on. 

Boris and Hiwatari were arrested immediately after the final match, and are being held without bail. Their trial date is pending. 

The four members of the Demolition Boys will be kept in Capital City to be treated with newly developed psychological treatments. After, Shadra's father, Dick Stephens, will be taking in all four in their household. The three Russian boys will be fostered there, until they can successfully integrate into society. 

_The End_


End file.
